Star-Crossed
by Ginevra Magdalene Katnis Eaton
Summary: She wanted to run to him but something held her back. Her eyes glanced around the room taking in the faces of those surrounding them. Her eyebrows pulled down in a frown as where she was dawned on her again, what he must be to be here amongst these people. The silence stretched on too long and then it was much too late. Their leader was speaking and the moment, the chance, had gone
1. Prolouge

0. Prologue

"**You loved me - then what **_**right**_** had you to leave me? **_**You**_**, of your own will, did it. I have not broken your heart- **_**you**_** have; and in breaking it, you have broken mine." – Heathcliff, Wuthering Heights**

She sat on the forest floor trying with all her might to focus on the book in front of her. Why couldn't life give her a break for once? Wasn't it enough that she had lost her father, the man she had adored and admired and idolised, when she was young, too young? Wasn't it enough that she had lost her husband, who she had barely been married to for a year, before their twins were even born? Wasn't it enough that, not long after that, everything she thought to be true was turned upside-down and she was forced to leave them? No, obviously not, because fate had a horrible way of showing her that she disserved worse, much worse.

Footsteps were crunching on the snow behind her as she sat and she had no doubt as to whom it was coming toward her. The one person that refused to leave her mind since she had seen him for the first time in decades had obviously decided that now he would haunt her physically as well as mentally. His scent engulfed her as the wind wiped around the trees. She had only met the scent twice, and both times it had been surrounded by many others, that it had been hard to pick out on its own but she knew it in a second.

'Go away, Alec,' she said quietly, so quietly that she almost wasn't heard.

'No,' Alec replied, his voice causing her stomach to flip-flop dangerously. However, it was easier than she expected to resist the urge to run to him. It wasn't the voice she knew off by heart, the voice she could pick out in any crowd. This voice was similar but different it was a voice she'd only heard once before; the day everything had changed for a second time.

'Just leave, I do not want to talk to you! I don't want to see you!' she yelled tearfully, trying to ignore her thoughts. She would have loved to have stayed calm, like her father always managed to do, but she had far too much of her mother in her. She knew he wouldn't leave: he was never one to give up without a fight.

'Izzy, Baby, please,' Alec began and she knew without looking at him that he was reaching out to her, stretching a hand forward as though to give her comfort but she didn't want comfort from him when he was the one causing her pain.

Izzy spun around dangerously to glare at the man who had once held her heart, who had once been her everything. He looked exactly the same as always with a few small exceptions. Still heart-breakingly handsome, still with a mop of brown hair that fell over his eyes that he had to keep blowing out of them and she almost had too close hers to remember that this was not that same man.

'Don't "Izzy" me, don't "Baby" me!' she snapped causing Alec to flinch but she went on ranting, rising to her feet but not taking a step closer. 'You are not my husband, you may look like him but you are not. My husband is not a killer and he would never be known as a "Witch Twin!"'

'Iz-abella, please just hear me out!' Alec begged desperately, his angelic face contorted in pain from her words. 'I beg you.'

'No!' Isabella yelled, turning and stepping away from him, closer to the large white house she could see through the trees. 'I've told you once and I won't tell you again. Leave because you are not the man I married.'


	2. Part 1 - Tragedy in Life

Part 1 – Tragedy in Life 


	3. Every Moment Counts

Chapter 1 – Every Moment Counts

**Every moment counts and defines us. The bonds we make, the people we meet, will affect us forever, even if the effect is barely noticeable and the person isn't remembered.**

London. The capital of England. The height of English society. In the centre of this well-known city was grand church and opposite it, across a charming courtyard, was a house; large enough to be fitting near such a church but small enough that it looked perfect for family life. Drifting behind the house, you could see a cute garden and at the bottom of that garden the famous river Thames. This garden, this house, this city is where our story begins.

'Isabella!' a man yelled panicked from inside the house, worry marring his tone. 'Isabella, whither art thou?'

The back door of the house opened to reveal a handsome blond-haired man with a medium frame and high cheek bones. His clear blue eyes skirted the garden, looking for his daughter and it didn't take him long to identity her small fair head, sitting close to the water's edge.

The little girl, who had just turned eight that month before, was just as high on the beauty scale as her father, if not higher. Although young, her blonde hair (the same shade as her fathers) fell in beautiful soft waves down to her waist and her wide, expressive chocolate brown eyes sparkled with curiosity, although they often flashed with a playful glint. She had his high cheekbones and almond eye shape.

She didn't look up at her father's calls but instead settled from reaching toward the river to pick the water lily that was floating a little away from the bank, just out of her reach.

Her father was slowly making his way down to her, hands deep in his pockets. He obviously wasn't worried now she was in his sight and glanced around the garden lazily, taking in the plants that his mother-in-law had planted when he and his wife moved into the house when they were sixteen. He was around a meter away when a small scream met his ears. His head jerked back to his young daughter to find that she had reached too far and was beginning to tumble. Without even thinking about, his pace picked up and his arm shot out. His arm wrapped around her waist and he pulled her into his arms just before she hit the water.

The child wasn't even affected by her almost fall and just stared up at her father gratefully.

'Oops,' she muttered in a sweet voice.

Her father sighed closing his eyes before turning to look her sternly in the eyes.

'Prithee (please), be more careful,' he told her, crouching down and picking the Lily. 'Was this what thou was aiming for?'

Isabella nodded, grinning at him as he handed it to her, 'Grammarcy (thank you)'

She was a polite child and a soft heart. Her father smiled at her as he took a step back towards the house, after a few more he put her down: she was getting far too big to carry. She sprinted ahead of him as soon as her feet touched the ground toward a woman with both the same style hair and the same colour eyes as her. This woman wasn't as beautiful as her husband and daughter but not average in any way. However, none of their beauty was inhuman, simple lucky with their genes.

Isabella was about halfway between each of her parents when suddenly she, once again, began to tumble and, although both mother and father stepped to help her, she went head over heels and landed with a thump.

'Isa!' the father's voice came as he jogged towards her, the mother also coming at a much slower pace. 'Isa, what happened to being careful, my dear?'

'Oh, Carlisle, she is a _clumsy_ girl,' the mother laughed lightly as she picked up Isabella, who was perfectly fine - the only sign of her fall was the dirt on her dress and the tears in her eyes caused mainly by the shock - and pressed a kiss to her forehead. 'She canst not help it.'

Carlisle chuckled in agreement, reaching the two females. He pressed a kiss to his wife's lips, placing a hand on her cheek before he dropped it to wrap around her waist. It was a nice scene but there was no one to see it beside the family themselves and the nature surrounding them - maybe that's what it so peaceful and precious because it wouldn't be long until their silence and happiness was shattered.

'Let us head inside, Cassandra,' Carlisle said. 'It shall be getting cold soon.'

Cassandra nodded, looking up at the darkening sky and putting her daughter back down on the grass covered ground. Half an hour later, once the surprising small family of three had eaten dinner, Carlisle shrugged on his frock coat over his black waistcoat and went to say goodbye to his family.

'I don't want you to go,' Isabella told him, attaching herself to his hand as he attempted to leave. 'Tell Grandfather that thou canst not go tonight, stay hither with us.'

'Sweetheart, I will see thou on the morrow as I have every time prior to this,' he told her, bending down to her level. 'Is thou starting to doubt me, my child?'

His little girl pouted up at him but slowly shock her head no.

'Good, I love thou,' he kissed her forehead, pushing himself to his feet by resting his hands on his knees.

'I love thou more.'

'I love thou most,' Isabella giggled sweetly as he completed their little saying. 'Good niht (night), my little Isa,'

'Be careful, my husband,' Cassandra said once more, walking across the room to take Isabella's hand.

Together the family made their way to the front door. Isabella hugged herself tightly to her mother's hand as she did every time her father left for the night. Her grandfather was the church pastor and he used to lead hunts for witches, vampires and other creatures of the evil, now however he was too old and he handed the job over to his only son. No one had ever actually found any of the creatures they were searching for and Isabella often wondered why they didn't just give up but a group went out once a week to try and find some. She had questioned her father on this and he seemed have no answer for her, he simple went on these hunts because it was his duty as the pastor's son. Soon, he was also supposed to take over being the church pastor as his father was very close to dying.

Isabella could easily see the difference between the two men of her family; her grandfather believed very strongly in the presence of evil while her father was patient, and kind though obedient, he wasn't as quick to accuse evil, to see the demons where they weren't. Her father was clever and what scared her was that he was persistent. She had overheard him telling some of them men that went on the hunts that he believed he had actually found a coven of them and they had arranged to go tonight but Isabella had this nagging feeling that pitchforks and torches, which was what the men took with them, wouldn't actually be much use.

Carlisle smiled at his family once more, seeming perfectly calm and confident although Isabella could tell just from his stance that he wasn't (only someone who knew him well would be able to tell), before heading out into to the darkness.

'I love thou!' Isabella called after him.

'Take care!' her mother said, blowing a kiss to her husband as he turned around to glance back at them.

They only left the door once he was out of view. Sometime during that time Isabella had let go of her mother hand and now offered her it again. Cassandra smiled and took the tiny hand in her own allowing her daughter to lead her back into the house and shut the door behind them. She smiled to herself as she glanced at her daughter, taking her turn in leading and beginning toward the stairs to put her to bed. She had a daughter who was strong and bright, kind-hearted and so beautiful, that she knew would one day this little girl would make a difference to someone and she wouldn't even know it.


	4. A Thousand Words A Million Tears

Chapter 2 - A Thousand Words; A Million Tears

"**A thousand words won't bring you back, I know because I've tried; neither will a million tears, I know because I've cried." - Unknown**

Isabella sat at the kitchen window seat watching as the first people began to walk through the streets of London: first came a man to put out the gas lights which hung outside every tenth house; then came that baker with a tray off bread is his arms which he set outside his shop; other shops that she could see from the kitchen window began setting up too and, soon, houses began to become alive with movement. She saw a mother throw open her front door for some air before turning to yell back into the house; not a second later four children in pyjamas came tumbling down the stairs. In another window she could see a woman brushing hair; walking across the square in front of her house there was a finely dressed man, walking quickly across. The one thing she could not see, however, was her father striding across the square, looking exhausted but having a small smile on his face.

'Isabella, dearest, comest hither away from that window and help me with breakfast,' her mother called and Isabella turned to see her leaning in the door. 'He shall be home soon.'

Cassandra smiled as she entered the kitchen and offered her hand to her daughter. It was amazing how much the little girl loved her father; she knew that that was something special. What she didn't know, however, was where her husband was. He was late and Carlisle Cullen was never late. She herself glanced once more out the window before pulling her daughter toward the work surfaces.

'Mamma,' Isabella said, as they cleaned up. 'He is late.'

'Yes, he is,' Cassandra sighed, stroking her daughter's blonde hair and looking out the window.

The streets were busier now, and people bustled through the square. One lone woman was walking across with a purpose, her skirts lifted so she could walk at a speed and her face holding a panicked expression. Cassandra knew this woman and spun toward the door, pulling Isabella with her. She got to the door just as a harsh knocking sound began.

'Cassandra!' the woman exclaimed before catching sight of Isabella. 'Isabella, my dear, good morrow.'

'Good morrow, Mrs Scott,' Isabella said politely as she was hugged tightly, far tighter than usual.

Mrs Scott turned back to Cassandra.

'Is Carlisle hither? Hath thou heard the news?' she said, taking Cassandra's hands in her own. 'Oh, it is dreadful.'

'Carlisle's not back yet,' Cassandra responded, suddenly looking worried and she glanced back out the open door as though hoping to see her husband striding through it. 'What happened?'

'Two of the men art dead,' she said in a hurry, 'and some art missing.'

'Papa!' Isabella yelped causing her mother's head to snap down to her.

'Carlisle,' she breathed as though the thought had not occurred to her until her daughter said it. 'Hath thine husband returned?

'Yes, he was back before the dawn,' Mrs Scott replied, her eyes wide with fear at the idea that Carlisle Cullen was one of the missing men, her eyes focused on Isabella. 'We all art meeting at the rectory in an hour.'

'Sweetheart, my dear,' Cassandra turned to Isabella, fear evident in her warm brown eyes, 'would thou go and get dressed.'

Although unwilling, Isabella turned and trudged up the stairs to her room. She could hear the ladies still talking but the obedient part of her compelled her to get ready to leave for her grandfather's house.

Three days later and Carlisle Cullen had yet to return home and people were beginning to lose hope that he ever would. One thing that was known about Carlisle Cullen was that he was a family man through and through, _everything _else came after that, _everything _came after his little Isa who was his complete world even though he loved his wife.

A week and still no trace.

A month and now everyone accepted that he was gone and that he was not returning. He was dead and his family had no closure, no body to bury or mourn over, no proof to allow them to move on. For little Isa, it was rare to see her without tear tracks marring her creamy pale skin or her brown eyes surrounded by red rings. Cassandra coped better; with a fatherless child she knew she had to, she had to hold herself together for the sake of her daughter but Isabella knew that her mother cried at night since she listened through the door.

People had heard Isabella screaming with tears and pleading, knew what she was praying for every time she went to bed. Isabella was sure she had cried at least a million tears if not more and said a thousand words in effort to bring her father back.

A year and Cassandra was on the verge of remarrying to support them as her father, who had been supporting the two of them, had died. Isabella was sure something was cursing her family, perhaps it was the creature her father and other men from the city had tried to kill.

The man her mother was marrying was a kind man and had no interest in replacing Carlisle for Isabella. Everyone in the city knew of their closeness so he was content with just being a part of her life even if it wasn't as her father.

They married in September, a few weeks after Isabella's ninth birthday, in a quiet but beautiful ceremony.


	5. Eyes are a Window to the Soul

Chapter 3 - Eyes are a Window to the Soul

**Eyes are a window to the soul. They tell what their owner tries to hide and express more than words could ever imagine.**

It had been a few years since her father's death and Isabella was now fourteen years of age, eligible for marriage since she turned twelve but she had turned every suitor down and she had had many. A pastor's daughter was highly thought of in London society and, since her beauty had not faltered in the time between her father's death and now, she was a wonderful _prize _for any man. However, Isabella did not want to be a man's prize or trophy, the obedience she had inherited from her father had lessened as she grew and at fourteen she was a headstrong girl with a sarcastic hidden nature and sharp temper who wanted her own things in life. At the very least, she wanted a marriage like her parents, who had never really been_ in_ love with each other but did love each other none the less. Her step-father was getting inpatient with her to choose a suitor but she refused to because she could not stand any of them. Her friends were all in a flutter about a boy called Alec Carmichael, who was supposed to be heartbreakingly handsome but they all knew that he was dangerous, and his family people to stay away from - Isabella thought maybe that was why they liked him: he was dangerous.

His father had a deadly temper, which Isabella had ended up on the end of when she accidently ran into him when she was younger. He had been screaming at her until her father had exited the church to see what the cause of the commotion was. Mr Carmichael had then turned on Carlisle as he tried to defend her. It was an odd sight to the passers-by, cool, calm, respected Carlisle Christopher Cullen versus hot-headed, angry, feared (so he was respected just as much) Gavin Alexander Carmichael.

The surname Carmichael could usually empty a room unless it was women speaking about them as they sipped tea through pursed lips. Isabella had never met Alec or his twin sister Janessa since they lived on the other side of the city and, despite their liking of Alec, her friends told her she didn't want to.

Isabella still had her compassionate part to her nature despite her stubbornness, however, and a kind heart; she spent much time playing the younger children in the streets that most people would avoid. She snuck them food out from the church along with candles, blankets for those who had no home or whose home was too poor to have enough for the large family. She would help any wounded animal she came across and got to know someone long before she judged them.

'Isabella, is thou ready to leave?' her step-father called up the stairs.

Isabella sighed and glanced at herself in the mirror. She was dressed in a soft brown dress with pink accents; the upper skirt was gathered to reveal a soft pink, almost nude, underskirt. Her blonde wavy hair was done up in a perfect bun on the top of her head courtesy of her mother and she had a matching mask which tied at the back so she didn't have to hold it. Her brown eyes burned sadly from behind it and on her cheek in black was a tiny stag and swan, a embolism on the Cullen family. A stag meant 'lover of harmony' and 'noble' while a swan was 'beauty' and 'musicality.' Hidden in her dress was her necklace with the Cullen coat of arms hanging on it. It was a blue shield (loyalty) with a golden (generosity) cross (Christian) on it with the two animals beautiful placed.

'Yes, step-father,' she called back, taking a step out of her mother's room and down the stairs.

Tonight was the annual masquerade ball for the higher circles of London society and the whole family had been invited. Her mother was dressed beautiful as well and Isabella knew her step-father that was standing smartly at the bottom of the stairs. Isabella wasn't really bothered about it.

It wasn't long before the three of them headed out into the darkening London streets. Isabella wrapped her shawl tighter around her. Luckily it wasn't far to walk and soon they had entered the candle lit hall were the ball was taking place. It beautifully decorated and people were already dancing around. Once, her mother and step-father had hung the over clothes up - Isabella kept her shawl since it was light enough to pass as part of her outfit - they went to dance with she sat at a table, glad to be herself as much as she could at this party.

It had barely been five minutes before a boy appeared before her, his hand outstretched. He bowed to her and caught her eyes. Isabella was fascinated by the colour of them: a warm blue that Isabella had never seen before.

'Would thou care to dance, Milady?' his voice snapped her out of her daze and she managed smiled up at him.

'I would be happy to but I give no promise about my abilities,' she responded being rewarded with a grin, placing her hand gently in his and he pulled her to her feet, guiding her to the floor with his hand still in hers and his other behind her back but not actually touching.

They had timed it perfectly because just as she placed her hand on his shoulder, the band began a new song. Despite her fears of stepping on his feet like she had other partners, the two of them moved together easily, with graceful movements that seemed to have been practiced to perfection. Isabella began to smile up at her dance partner as she realised that she wasn't going to harm this boy (since he couldn't be much older than herself) with hypnotising eyes. He held her not very far from his body as the waltzed around and, out the corner of her eyes, Isabella saw her mother and step-father stop dancing to watch her.

All too soon the song ended and perfectly in time the two bowed while the boy kissed her hand, keeping his eyes locked to hers.

The boy had lent against the wall as Isabella had entered. His eyes had been fixed on her the second the door opened, even across the room her could see her pale blond hair piled on her head and her brown eyes sparkling sadly behind her mask. From what he could see of her face, he could tell she was a beauty and straight away he cursed the fact that it was a masquerade ball.

He watched as her parents, at least he assumed they were her parents although she didn't look much like either of them, hung up their over clothes and went straight to the dance floor. His eyes followed them long enough to see them take up dancing positions before his eyes were drawn back to the girl, who clutched her shawl and eyed the dance floor warily. He smirked slightly - was she afraid of dancing? She sat down at an empty table, which she had walked to with such grace he was amazed, and to avoid seeming too interested her waited for a little while.

Sadly patience wasn't exactly his forte and after only five minutes he made his way over. She was even more beautiful close up, he decided, stopping a way away to make sure he wouldn't be taken by surprise and end up just staring at her.

'Would thou care to dance?' he asked as her chocolate brown eyes burned into him.

Isabella had danced with many people since the boy and none had been as easy so she soon retired herself to her seat with her mother whose feet had grown pained from dancing. She opened her mouth as her daughter sat down but Isabella would never know what her mother had to say because at that second the boy who had been on Isabella's mind the whole ball appeared at Isabella's shoulder.

'May I have the honour of thy presence?' he asked politely once again offering her his hand.

Isabella glanced at her mother and she nodded, urging her daughter to go with the boy. Once again, she placed her hand in his and he pulled her to her feet. However, instead of leading her to the dance floor he led toward the back of the room towards some doors.

Linking her arm with his when he offered, they walked through the doors and into the garden. The hall was on the same row of buildings as Isabella's house so she could see the river at the bottom. They began walking towards it and the boy turned to her.

'Tell me thy name,' he said. 'Please.'

Isabella turned to look at him, managing to look into his eyes without becoming trapped.

'Thou first,' she counted glad they were now being less formal.

'I'm afraid mine name may cause thee run for the hills,' the boy replied and, though her smile should have dropped, Isabella's widened: at least, he was being honest.

'A name cannot hold that great power,' she told him, looking away beck toward the river. 'A name is not ones identity, it is not what defines a person. Rumours follow names while the truth stays hidden within. Besides that's the whole point of masquerade, to strip every one of their former prejudices and force them to simply accept people with prior notions. However if thou refuses to tell me thy name, I shall refuse to give thee mine.'

'Wise works,' the boy admitted after her speech, 'fitting for such a beautiful lady and I dost believe that thine statement is fair'

'Completely fair,' Isabella agreed, glancing back at him to find him staring at her from behind his own mask. 'Why ruin the art of masquerade by telling names … on the other hand -'

'I much like the sound of this,' the boy interrupted but as he said that Isabella's mother's voice rung from the air with remorse.

'My darling, it's time to leave,' Isabella smiled as her mother used a term of endearment rather than her name while the boy look mildly annoyed but in an amused way.

'My initials art I.M.C,' Isabella continued, curtsying to him and beginning to walk away 'I'll leave thou to figure that out.'

'Must thou be such a mystery!' the boy called after her in frustration.

'Of course,' Isabella turned around to smile at him and the boy's breath caught in his throat at the loveliness of it. ''What fun would it be otherwise?'

With that said she turned and run carefully but gracefully back up the garden leaving the boy standing alone in the garden where her mother was waiting in the doorway.


	6. Masks are Disguises

Chapter 4 - Masks are Disguises

**Masks are disguises, bad ones at that, whether one sees through them is a choice. Most find it easier to ignore the oddities that subtly hint to someone they don't know while others dig deeper. However, there are the others who can just see through masks but it's usually only one special person in particular.**

She sighed, gazing out at the river over her book from her place in the garden. The ball was now six days ago if she had counted correctly and the boy either wasn't interested in finding her or he wasn't too good at finding people. Of course, it was harder that her surname was Cullen. She was the only one left beside her grandfather since her mother had changed her name when she married Isabella's step-father, and, though it was expected of Isabella to change hers, she refused and her mother agreed: her father was a Cullen and so that would stay her surname. Although, being the only one of something usually made it easier to find it, but if he, for example, asked someone 'who lives in the house opposite the church?' 'Cullen' was not the answer he would get.

Cassandra was fascinated by Isabella's curiosity with the mystery boy, she had never been in love but she was adamant that this boy was going to fall in love with her daughter. The way that they had danced, usually clumsy Isabella was suddenly graceful and charming to watch; a smile, that she had not seen since Carlisle died, crept up on her daughters face as Isabella told her about her night; there was a sparkle in both of the young people eyes when they look at each other. Cassandra hoped that Isabella would get her wish of love rather than convince.

There was a knock on the door and Cassandra put the bowl down she was washing and wiped her hands on the apron she had tied round her waist before hurrying to the door.

'Yes, canst I help thee?' she asked, opening the door to see a brown haired boy around fifteen looking up at her.

As though he recognised her, he suddenly grinned and Cassandra caught sight on his eyes: warm blue, the same blue as the boy from the ball had had. He reminded her of someone but for the life of her she couldn't remember whom so she shook it off.

'Good morrow, my lady,' the boy bowed politely. 'Does an Isabella Marissa Cullen live here?'

'She's in the garden,' Cassandra smiled, stepping back to allow the boy through the door.

Once through, she smiled and led him through the house to the back door. Isabella's blonde hair was vivid amongst the sea of green and, by the way her head was tilted, Cassandra could tell that she was reading causing to smile gently - that was Carlisle in her. She gestured the young man through the door and, although she really wanted to listen in, she returned to the kitchen knowing her daughter would probably tell her later.

'Thou wit (you know), it is not fair on everyone else that thou canst look so breath-taking and not even be trying,' a voice shattered the silence around Isabella, causing her to jerk around in shook dropping her book on her lap. She was surprised but not surprised at the same time.

'Thou found me,' she smiled up at the boy, knowing instantly this was the boy from one look at him.

'Did thou doubt I would?' he asked, taking a few steps towards her and sitting down on the grass beside her.

There was a silence as Isabella debated her answer, leafing through her book to find the page she had lost, 'Yes.'

The boy turned to her with raised eyebrows but she was folding the corner down on her page and didn't notice.

'So, it is Isabella Cullen?' he asked trying to continue the conversation.

'Yes, Alec Carmichael,' Isabella replied causing his hypnotising eyes to widen at his name. 'Isabella Marisa Cullen and look' -she suddenly grinned - 'no one's running for the hills.'

'Yet,' Alec muttered under his breath, he had known as soon as he found out her name that this girl was too good for him, too much of an angel to be associated with his family, but he still had to find this blonde haired angle before he was satisfied.

'I beg thy pardon?' Isabella asked, having known he said something but not sure what it was.

'Naught (nothing),' Alec said quickly to raised eyebrows. 'Did thou wit it was me?'

'I had a suspicion,' Isabella replied and she had, but only because her friends description on him.

'And yet thou still let me find thou,' Alec mused, amazed at this girl.

'I saw within five minutes of being around thou that the mask that thou wears around the city is just that: a disguise,' Isabella said softly causing him to turn to her. 'I met the real Alec that night, one who isn't weighed down by the expectation of his father, and him ... him I liked.'

'Well, it's nice to meet the real Isabella Cullen,' he smiled in return to the one she had given him while she spoke. 'I've heard a lot about thou.' which was how he knew she was far too good for him.

'What about?' Isabella asked suddenly wary, leaning slightly away from Alec and raising an eyebrow. 'That I'm a trouble-maker and never dost what is expected of me or that my father left because of that?'

'I've heard both of them,' Alec said before she could start again, trying to placate her, 'but I don't believe that thy father left nor does mine mother. She remembers seeing thee two together before his death and saying that she had never seen a closer father and daughter. She remembers him saying how much he adored thou and how thou was his world. She believes, and therefore so dost me and mine sister, that he would _rather _die than leave thou. I, however, meant that I've heard rumours of how lovely thou is - when not causing trouble.'

Isabella giggled slightly, 'grammancy (thanks).'

There was a little silence as they debated what to say next. Isabella was tempted to turn back to her book as it grew longer but his voice shattered the silence.

'Would thou like to take a walk with me?' he asked, looking over at her with a penetrating gaze.

'That seems like a wonderful idea,' Isabella smiled, 'but we must get mine mother and step-fathers permission.'

'Thou must take after thy father overmany,' Alec said, hoping that he had not just stuck his foot in his mouth.

'What makes thou say that?' Isabella asked curious as he stood up and offered a hand down to her.

'Well,' he said as she placed her hand in his once again and he pulled her towards him. 'Thou looks naught like those thou accompanied to the ball.'

'I have mine mothers eye colour,' Isabella countered, taking a step up the garden and allowing her hand to slip from within his, feeling immediately cold from the lack of contact.

'But not shape,' Alec reminded her and she smiled at him brightly for what he wasn't sure but he found he wasn't intent to find out since her smile was so beautiful all that mattered was seeing it again.

'Thy is extremely observant,'

'It's something I pride mineself on,' he chuckled.


	7. One Solid Thing in a Dizzy Swaying World

Chapter 5 - One Solid Thing in a Dizzy, Swaying World

"**A kiss, when all is said, what is it?**

**A rosy dot placed on the "i" in loving;**

**'Tis a secret told to the mouth instead of to the ear." - Edmond Rostand**

Two weeks later and Alec had been given permission to court Isabella by her mother and step-father and they were walking along the other side of the river Thames from her home when Isabella suddenly lifted her skirt - she was wearing her lightest dress today with only one layer of fabric - and kicked off her heels.

'What is thou doing?' Alec asked her, as she slipped her hand out of where it had been resting in the crook of his arm and headed toward the river.

'Is thou coming?' Isabella grinned over her shoulder at him to see him eying her warily.

She was surprised he had yet to get used to her oddness but every time she managed to surprise him by doing something strange. She pulled off her hat as she took a step into the cold water, chucking it back onto the path along the river, allowing her hair to fall free it soft waves of pale blonde down to her waist.

'Come on,' she laughed, debating whether or not to just try pull him in.

When he didn't move but to raise an eyebrow at her, she realised she had no choice and began towards him. Placing her hands on his forearms, she smiled up at him sweetly allowing her hands to slowly slip down to his hands and tangle her fingers within his. Trapped in her eyes, he seemed unaware of this.

Five seconds later, he was in the water, shaking water out of his brown hair as Isabella giggled, placing a hand to her mouth to try and smother it as he looked up at her. There was a glint in his blue eyes that made her grin cheekily.

'Thou is dead,' he said firmly, launching to his feet and reaching for her in the same movement.

She shrieked and tried to run but he was faster than her and managed to pick her up bridal style. Isabella kicked and fought against his strength but it was fruitless. He set her down so he didn't have to drop her but as he pushed her in, she attached her hands around bunches of his clothing. As she fell, she pulled him with her and before either knew what had happened they were completely underwater.

'Does thou know,' Alec gasped as the two of them burst out of the water for air, 'that that was completely unrespectable behaviour for a beautiful lady like thineself?'

'Who cares?' Isabella laughed loudly.' Why live by the stiff rules of society wen thee canst be free and fun, dost something different and not just be an exact close of everyone else.'

Alec stared at her amazed. He hadn't gotten used to how wise she was for her age any more that he had her oddness.

'Thou is very insightful,' he smiled over at her, reaching to brush a strand of brown hair from by her eyes - he much preferred her hair blonde it suited her more but her wet, brown hair was pretty as well.

'It runs in the family,' she said, swimming slightly around but then she paused. 'At least, I think it does. Mine Grandmother said Papa was just the same'

'Dost thou miss him?' Alec asked carefully, they had never really talked about her father but by how tense the air got surrounding them he knew he was beginning to tread in dangerous waters.

She didn't answer for a long time and Alec began to wonder if she would but then she looked up at him and smiled softly, so vulnerably that he knew in that exact second that he never wanted to see her hurt and he felt a great swell of emotion for the young girl within the woman in front of him.

'Everyday,' she said, her voice perfectly fitting for her smile: a hoarse whisper.

Isabella then looked away and wanted terribly for the conversation to move on but when Alec said no more she, gathering her wits again, lifted her hand and slid it across the water to make a splash, which hit Alec square in the face. He chuckled and the heavy atmosphere that was sitting on their shoulders lifted.

'Thou is completely crazy, Isabella Cullen,' he told her and splashed her back.

She screamed quietly and retaliated. They kept this up for at least half an hour before she surrendered: her splashes were not match for Alec's.

'It's uncomfortable,' he muttered as the lay on some grass drying off.

'What is?' Isabella asked curiously, turning her head to look up at him.

'Being this wet,' he whined and Isabella laughed again, turning back to the blue sky.

She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed as much. The house had grown quieter after her father's death and though she and her mother still laughed, she, for the longest time, had felt guilty - how could she be happy and laughing when her father was dead and then it was swiftly silenced - and now it was just habit, she wasn't unhappy by any means, she just didn't laugh very easily.

'Isabella,' Alec's calming voice brought her out of her thoughts and she once again turned to look at his boyish face.

'Yes.'

'I love thou, Izzy,' he said softly, the softest she'd ever heard him speak.

'I like that,' she said before she really processed what he had said to her.

'Like what?' Alec asked very confused by her response.

'What thou called me - "Izzy",' she cleared up, smiling at him. It had been a long time since she had a nickname related to her name instead of a term of endearment. 'It's pretty.'

'So is thou,' Alec stated matter-of-factly. 'Although, pretty is far too common to be used in reference to thou' - Isabella felt her face burning cause Alec to chuckle again - 'Has no one ever called thou that before?'

'Nay,' she admitted, although she suddenly wondered why: it was the most obvious nickname for Isabella beside Bella which she wasn't very fond off. 'Mine Papa used to call me "Isa", "His little darling Isa" but no one else has ever given me a nickname before.'

It was at that point that she realised what he had actually said and she stared up at him with her brown eyes wide. It was soon, so soon, but somehow she didn't seem mind too mind much. She had fallen for him straight away, making the last little fall to love hadn't taken much longer. She grinned at him.

'I love thou too, by the way.'

He returned her grin with one of his own, one that always made her breathe catch in her throat, and lent toward her slowly. Her heart began to beat faster as his face came closer, this they hadn't done yet. He'd kissed her on the hand and she's kissed his cheek but, despite how scared she was, she found herself automatically tilting her head to meet him.

It was soft and slow, conveying everything that they had just said to each other and Isabella smiled against his lips, raising a hand to rest upon his cheek as she felt tingles go through her whole body. One of his hands tangled in her half-wet hair while the other rested on her waist. She clutched the fabric of his soaking shirt in the hand that now rested on his chest, since they had both rolled to face each other properly. His tongue ran delicately over her bottom lip and her lips parted almost involuntarily as she gasped. The intensity of their kiss grew until they were gripping to each other like the other was the only solid thing is a dizzy swaying world. That was until someone cleared their throat and the two of them jumped apart.

They both turned slowly to find Gavin Carmichael standing above with a deep frown on his mean face, hands resting on his hips in balls, staring at the two of them waveringly.

'Father,' Alec said, becoming stiff next to Isabella, who looked at him in concern from where she was cowering slightly into him. Her pervious experiences with this man were not pleasant and she had no plan of getting on the end of his temper again unless she had to.

Alec scrambled to his feet and pulled Isabella with him, standing in front of her slightly but making sure it wasn't too obvious that he was trying to shield her. From standing up, Isabella could see who she assumed to be Alec's twin sister, since they held such a resemblance, standing a way back. Janessa was beautiful in a plain way. She must have been shorter than Alec and her lips were fuller but she was beaming at the two of them, her eyes (the same colour as Alec's) sparkling with happiness. Isabella sent her a small smile and saw out of the corner of her eye, Alec wink teasingly at his sister.

'Miss Cullen,' Alec's father harsh voice brought her attention back to him and his formidable presence and Alec's hand, which was holding her own, tightened.

'Yes, sir?' she answered polity, making sure not to make eye contact with this man.

'Thy mother wants thee _now_,' he told her, emphasizing the word now so that there was no room for argument, 'something about thy grandfather.'

'Grandfather!' Isabella gasped quietly causing Alec to squeeze her hand.

Her grandfather was terrible ill and she was sure he was going to die any day. Her mother was doing everything they could to heal him while her step-father attempted to keep the church, along with his own business, going. Isabella didn't really like the idea of her step-father being in her father's church no matter how kind the man was but if it took something off her grandfather's mind who was she to argue.

'Thank you, sir,' Isabella curtsied and turned to kiss Alec on the cheek.

'I'll walk thou there,' his words sounded like they were spoken to her but it was clear that he was telling his father, there was a note to it that Isabella hadn't heard before that clearly said not to argue. It had a horrible similarity to his father's tone.

His father didn't seem happy of this arrangement but said nothing about it just stating the Alec should straight home afterward and gesturing Janessa along which she did unwillingly


	8. The Greatest Loss

Chapter 6 - The Greatest Loss

"**Someone once said that death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live. I could tell you who said it, but who the hell cares." – Haley James Scott (Bethany Joy Lenz), One Tree Hill**

Ma!' Isabella called as the raced through the door to her grandfather's house, leaving it open behind her. 'Grandfather!'

Lifting her still wet skirt, she took the rickety stairs two at a time moving so fast she almost ran into the wall at the landing. She pushed off and headed towards her grandfather's bedroom. It was empty. Spinning around, she called out again before taking the next flight of steps. She found mother coming out of the room at the end of the hallway just as she reached the top, Cassandra ushered her towards her.

'Quickly dear,' she said with a weak smile. 'He's asking for you.'

Knowing this was going to be hard, Isabella took a deep breath before pushing open the door. Her Grandfather Christopher was lying pale on a bed, his body held up by the amount of cushions behind his head. He looked so weak, weaker than she's ever seen him.

'Isabella, my dear,' he said hoarsely, so quickly that she had to strain her ears to hear it.

'Grandfather,' she smiled, walking forward and perching on the bed at his side before taking his hand. 'How is thou feeling?'

'Fine, fine, fine,' he grumbled. 'I do wish people would stop asking that.'

'Grandfather, thou is sick, of course, we're going to keep asking it,' Isabella scolded her grandfather, trying to keep her smile up. 'Ma said thou was asking for me?'

'Yes, I did, now Isabella, I'm dying,' he nodded and Isabella winced. 'Even this conversation in a great deal of effort, I just wanted to see thou. Thou has become a wonderful young woman and I know my son would be so proud of thou, so proud that his daughter is kind and gentle but knows her own mind well enough to stand up for what she believes. Thou has his looks and his compassionate nature, I just wanted to let thou know that before I pass on.'

'Grandfather,' Isabella sniffed, trying to fight tears that had misted over her eyes, making it difficult to see her grandfather, 'please don't die. I don't want to lose anyone else.'

He chuckled but it was so weak that it gave Isabella little comfort, 'thine father and I shall always be with thou.'

With that said he closed his eyes and breathed no more. A large sob broke out of Isabella's mouth and she moved her free hand to cover it. Not bothering to wipe the stream of tears now flowing down her face, she leant down and hugged her grandfather gently.

'Ma!' she called when she leant back.

Her mother entered the door quickly and gasped when she saw her daughter's still young face covered with tears, clutching her grandfather's hand and her father-in-law lying so still the only way was for him to be dead. Isabella spun off the bed quickly and into her mother's arms, sobbing.

Her mother pulled back after a little while and took Isabella's face in her hands, 'thou has a very dedicated boy in love with thou.'

Isabella cocked her head to the said and followed her mother's gaze out the window. She couldn't see anything so she pulled free of her mother's embrace to look out of it properly. She peered through the pane of glass to see her charming boyfriend leaning against a post and the sight caused her to smile through her tears.

'I'll be back,' she said and her mother smiling knowingly after her before going to tend to Christopher.

'Alec!' Isabella called, as she walked back through the open door.

He turned to look at her sheepishly but the expression morphed to sorrow as he took in her still tear filled eyes, her tear stained cheeks and the tears still running down them. He closed the space between them with only a few strides and wrapped her tightly in his arms, holding her head to his chest as she broke down in tears again.

'Tell me something thou's afraid of?' he asked after a while and she turned her tear-stained face, still beautiful, to face him. He knew it wasn't the best thing he could have asked at that moment but it was all he could think off.

'_So_ many things,' she said, shrugging slight and shaking her head, 'not being enough - not good enough, not smart enough, not pretty enough, just always falling short; I'm afraid of the future; afraid to open up my heart and have it broken' - she looked at him directly as she said that as though warning him to never hurt her - 'of failing; of disappointing people; of being alone.'

'Well then let me make thou a few promises along with a few statements,' Alec said, placing a hand on her cheek. 'One is that thou is good enough, thou_ is_ smart and beautiful and talented, and everyone is afraid of the future: it's unknown but that's what makes it so exciting. I promise I shall never break thy heart and thou shall never be a failure, thou shall never be alone. I love thou and thou's surround by friends and family who love you and they, the people that really matter, could never be disappointed in thou, Izzy.'

'I guess I'm not the only one who canst give speeches,' she laughed shakily but Alec grinned, elated at her laugh even if it was still sad. 'I should get back inside and thou should get home, thy father shall be furious.'

'It'll be worth it,' Alec smiled at her, placing two fingers under her chin and lifting her face so he could see her chocolate brown eyes. 'I'll see thou t'morrow, my love.'

'Yes,' Isabella nodded, acknowledging that she was still going along with their plan for the next day. 'In the market, five thirty.'

Alec nodded himself, and leaned to press a gentle kiss to her lips. She smiled at him as he turned to leave and realised that although she may have lost her grandfather today, she had gained the knowledge that Alec would always be there for her even at the risk of himself.


	9. People Always Leave

Chapter 7 - People Always Leave

"**People always leave…" – Peyton Sawyer (Hilary Burton), One Tree Hill**

Isabella had only been the one funeral in her life and that was vivid in her mind. This funeral was different, this time they had a body to bury and this time they knew exactly what caused the death.

She sighed as she walked alongside the coffin held up by some of the city's men through the graveyard. Her mother and step-father were on the other side and in her hands Isabella held three red roses. Her whole family was there: her maternal grandparents, her many aunts and uncles from her mother's side, her cousins. The Carmichael's were there as well and Isabella could feel Alec's eyes burning into the back of her head as they followed with a lot of the other residents of central London - the Carmichaels were the "ruling" family in the east of the city.

When they reached the grave, a space Isabella knew well since she came to this spot every Sunday after church to place some flowers by her father's grave. Christopher Cullen was being buried between his wife and son in the area of the church graveyard for the pastors' family.

A pastor from the neighbouring church began to talk and when it was time, Isabella, being his only blood relative left, step forward and picked up a handful of dirt from the pile of it near her. She threw it onto the coffin before dropping the flower in after it; it bounced and one red petal came off. Then she turned and stepped towards her father's grave, pressing a kiss to the stone and placing one of her other flowers against the headstone before placing the last one on the last one on her Grandmothers though she had never met her and stepping back into place next to her mother and, before she knew it, she was alone by the grave.

A hand took hold of her own and she looked up. It was not Alec, something she had known from the moment the skin touched hers, but Janessa, smiling at her softly. Janessa squeezed her hand without saying anything and turned back to where Isabella's grandfather now lay. Isabella felt strangely at peace and she lent her head on the older girls' shoulder even though she had never spoken to her before.

After five minutes, Janessa spoke.

'Come on,' she said in a childlike voice, 'everyone's gone back to thy house, we should join them. Plus, mine twin is worried about thou.'

The mention of Alec made Isabella smile softly and she lifted her head before nodding to her boyfriend's sister.

'Thank, Janessa.'

'Jane,' Janessa corrected smiling. 'I've never liked Janessa.'

She tugged on Isabella's hand and the two of them headed back through the graveyard, out the kissing gate and across the square to Isabella's house.

'Darling,' Cassandra said as her daughter entered the house with the women she was soon would become Isabella's sister-in-law. 'Perfect timing. Canst thou take these around the guest, I'll take the others.'

She placed a plate of food in front of Isabella, who smiled obediently and headed into the busier part of the lounge. It took a while for the plate to be empty but, when it was, she took her time walking back to the kitchen. She was tired of the condolences, the apologetic smiling, the pitying glances and the amount of times she had to answer the question "how is thou doing?" She hadn't seen Alec since she and Jane had entered the house which made things worse because he was exactly what she needed.

She turned the corner through the kitchen archway with a heavy sigh beginning to raise her eyes from where they had been focused on the floor. What met them made the plate clatter to the floor and Isabella to turn and flee for the stairs. She heard footsteps behind her as she shut her bedroom door quietly, hoping with all her breaking heart that no one had seen her enter it.

She had no such luck however as the door creaked open gently and Alec appear in the doorway.

'I_ wasn't_ kissing her,' he said slowly raising his hands in defence. 'She was kissing me. By my troth (I swear).'

Isabella gaped at her boyfriend with appal. He was seriously trying that approach. She had seen him kissing his ex-girlfriend who also happened to be her friend, had _seen _his hand resting on her waist, _saw _Catherine's hands tangled in his brown hair. Her boyfriend was kissing her friend and ex-girlfriend at her grandfather's funeral wasn't there some rule against that because that would be a rule of society that she would follow to the T even if she ignored most of them.

'Thou had thine arms around her waist!' Isabella almost shrieked, only managing to keep her voice down as she remembered the large amount of guests down stairs. 'How could thou?'

'I pushed her away!' Alec pleaded with her. 'And I meant what I said the other day, I love thou and never want to break thy heart.'

'By choice or because I caught thou?' Isabella asked in reference to his first statement, tears beginning to blur her vision: she loved this boy more than anything - he meant everything to her even in the short time they had known each other - and he obviously didn't known her if he thought she would believe that. 'Stay away from me!'

With that said, she pushed him out of the door way with tears openly streaming down her face.

'Izzy! Please!' Alec called after her as she ran down the stairs away from him; her friend was smiling at her sorrowful from the bottom of the stairs.

'I never meant to hurt thou,' she said softly and Isabella thought she actually meant it. 'I just … I still have feelings for him.'

'That dost not matter,' Isabella replied, trying to keep stop her relentless tears, 'because, in the end, it all hurts just the same.'

She glared up at her friend and shook her head, walking away once again as she raised a hand to her face to wipe a few tears away. No one hardly paid heed to her tears assuming there were due to her grandfather's passing and she managed to get through the rest of the party without having to explain to anyone what had happen and neither had she seen Alec. A few times, she had wondered where he was before scolding her brain: she didn't want to care anymore and she sure as hell didn't want to listen to him trying to explain himself. It was difficult to concentrate on the conversation she was having when she felt like her heart had shattered and the image of Alec kissing someone else was burned into her brain.


	10. Returning People

Chapter 8 - Returning People

"… **but sometimes they come back" – Peyton Sawyer (Hilary Burton), One Tree Hill**

Done. Isabella smiled to herself as she leant back from the piece of wall she was painting in the church. It was empty and she was standing on a rickety ladder so to reach above the wide, intricately carved doors. This was when she preferred the church; when it was empty and silent, when no one was in it but her. So much had happened in her life but none of it happened in the church; it had become of sort of safe haven for her. Standing up this high, she noticed how beautiful the church actually was, it was different from standing on the ground. The beams were curved and had carved words in, reading stories and other words. The arched windows were now seeing grass through them and the dew from the morning make it seem a little bit magical,. She smiled softly, this church had been in her family centuries and it still was in a way.

Since her grandfather died there was no male Cullen's to take over the church so her second oldest on her mother's side (the oldest, of course, took over his father's business) was now in charge of the church. He, however, knew how special it was to her so they were working as a team.

"Someone once told me that this was the place were everything's better and everything's safe." ' a voice below startled her. 'Cute.'

She shut her eyes tightly, she had forgotten she had left the door open and now the person she had not wanted to see had entered.

'The Church is now my responsibility with my uncle and this is how it's always felt to me,' she said as she unwilling descended the ladder. 'Now, what dost thee require, Alec? I thought I told thee to stay away.'

Alec nodded pressing his lips together and Isabella couldn't help but study him. It had been about two weeks since her grandfather's funeral and she had seen Alec around the city, however, she always managed to escape before he could talk to her.

'I can't dost that,' he said after a while, watching her as she moved.

'Why not?' Isabella asked frustrated already as she plopped down in a pew to change out of the sturdy shoes she was wearing to climb the old ladder into her heels.

'Because I love thou!' Alec told her coming to kneel in front of her and placing his hands on her knees, while she let out a huff of air: did he really think that would make it okay? He seemed to see that in her face and continued speaking 'Because, I promise thou, that I didn't kiss Catherine, that I was pushing her away from me to tell her exactly that; to tell her that I wanted naught (nothing) to do with her that way anymore because I am complete, utterly and irrevocably in love with thou.'

Isabella felt her eyes start to sting and wished she could leave. She wasn't a fan of confrontations, she wasn't good at them, she preferred to avoid them whenever possible and she wished that she could leave … but he had her trapped. However, against her brain, her heart was starting to believe him.

'But why?' Isabella allowed herself to ask. 'I need a reason. Why not Catherine this time?'

Alec seemed to ponder his answer, 'I like Catherine -'

'Then _what_ is the difference?' Isabella stopped him, feeling her heart ache.

'The difference is I love thou,' he replied without missing a beat and Isabella wished he would stop saying that.

'But why?' she asked desperately, leaning towards him and wrapping her hands around his to try and convey this need to know.

He stared at piercingly into her eyes and she suddenly wished he was wearing glasses so she wouldn't have to see those green-blue eyes that had enchanted her when they first met.

'Because thy is so quirky and alive and free; thou's like a breath of fresh air,' he began and Isabella felt her shoulders drop and the corner of her mouth raise slightly as she leant back; he must have noticed this because she could see something begin to sparkle in his eyes and he continued on. 'because thou scrunches thy nose up when thou grins and because thou is constantly looking on the bright side on things; because everything was so much duller and boring when I didn't know thou and because thou opens up to me; because thou constantly has a book in thy bag' - both their eyes moved to her bag where you could see the corner of a book sticking out and Alec's lips quirked up slightly - 'and because thy is so insightful. I could go on but we'd be hither all day …'

'Thou did pretty good,' she admitted biting down on her lower lip and when she spoke again her voice was strained. 'I'm just so scared.'

'Don't be,' he said quickly. 'I don't ever want to hurt thou and I'm going to try my hardest to make sure I never dost … again, Prithee (please), Izzy, prithee.'

She stared at him warily and swallowed heavily. She could hear her own breath and she blinked rapidly. She shut her eyes for a second when she opened them looked away from him a bit, more at the ceiling than at anything in particular. The silence was dragging and she turned to look at him again. She believed him but trusting was never easy for her. How easily she trusted Alec and Jane scared her, it made her feel vulnerable.

'Okay,' she said, moving her gaze to actually look him in the eyes, 'but I really don't want to hurt again.'

Alec smiled a brilliant smile knowing she was giving him another chance but then he paused, unsure what to do next. Isabella smiled gently at him and leant forward again, telling him that it was okay to kiss her. He closed the gap between them and stood up, pulling her with him so he could hold her closer. It was unlike their first kiss, less frenzied but still just as passionate though much sweeter. There were promises being told within it and love shared.


	11. Something's Just Aren't Meant to Be

Chapter 9 – Something's Just Aren't Meant to Be

"**Sometimes you're meant to fall in love with someone. But not meant to be with them forever." - Nishan Panwar**

'Well?'

Sometimes Isabella wondered how she and Alec could be so in love one minute and the next be at each other's throats. Sometimes she thought that maybe that was love, her mother always said there was a fine line between love and hate which made everything seem either one hundred times better or one thousand times worse.

It had been two months since they had gotten back on track. Isabella was now best friends with Jane, who was actually a lot like her and, for the most part, she and Alec were blissfully happy but they fought like crazy and, a lot of the time, Isabella found it tiring and found herself wondering if the good times were worth all the tears that she had cried over this boy.

'I'm not good at this,' Alec told her. 'I mess up overmany and I'm sorry.'

'I noticed!' Isabella snapped, she couldn't help herself, he just messed up so often that it made her wonder if he was even trying and he made her so angry, 'and thou should really buy apologies in bulk if thy is going to hand them out this often. I'm trying, Alec, but this is getting a little tiring, dost thou not think?'

He stared at her and she could tell that he agreed that he was tired of fighting just as much as she was. This realisation made her temper calm, if only a little bit.

'I don't know what to say,' Alec said, his voice low, taking a step towards her. 'I love thou and I said it myself I mess up overmany but that doesn't change the fact that I cannot survive without thee so I'm going to keep apologising until thou forgives me.'

She sighed as Alec's familiar arms wrapped around her and she didn't pull away. It was nice that even if she sometimes thought he wasn't trying to do the right thing, he was, at least, trying to keep them together. It just annoyed her that he thought that apologies and "I love thou's" would wash everything away.

The fight continued for what felt like hours.

I'm not mad, Alec,' she told him softly, 'just disappointed and thou shouldn't have to apologise for who thou is. Not anymore.'

They had reached a problem, had reach a point where neither had anything else to say but what they were fighting over still wasn't solved. Both of them could feel a weight settling in their hearts.

'What happened to us?' Isabella asked heavily, as she turned her back on him and walked to a seat in the place they were fighting.

He had no answer for her as he glanced out the window. He barely wanted to speak anymore, his voice so hoarse from yelling back at her. He leant against the wall and slid to the floor, resting his arms across his knees. It was so tempting to just sleep and hope that, when he woke up, the fight would all be a bad dream. He had messed up badly this time and there was a niggling voice in his head that told him that he wasn't good enough for the angel sitting across the room, that she deserved someone better who she wouldn't fight with so much.

'We should get home,' he whispered, knowing his sister and both their mothers would be going frantic wondering where they were.

Night had fallen sometime during the fight and the street lamps were lit and burning brightly against the rain pouring down. The rain had been heavy to begin but was now slowing to a light drizzle.

'Yes,' Isabella said, turning back to look at him and he flinched slightly as he noticed her red eyes, evidence of their fight, her hair was a mess as well from the amount of times she had pulled on it but he was sure he looked the same, he still thought that even a dishevelled Isabella Cullen was still the most beautiful thing anywhere in the world only outdone by two things: herself normally and herself fancy.

'Maybe we should ... just take a break,' Alec said, not believing what he was saying but thinking the same as earlier: she deserved happiness, she deserved better. Though he knew that his own life would be horrible without her since he had grown accustomed to her being near.

Isabella swallowed and looked up at the ceiling, 'Methinks (I think) that's also a good idea.'

Although, they had agreed on a plan of some sort neither moved, they just continued staring at each other. Isabella moved first. She picked up her wrap, draping it over her shoulders to shield her against the cold she would soon step out into and moved towards him. Alec still didn't move. She bent down when she reached him, leaning towards him to press her soft lips to his cheek. The skin there tingled from the contact and he turned his head toward her. She smiled a small, sad smile.

'I love thou and methinks I always shall but I can't do this anymore,' she told him, resting a hand on his cheek. 'I'm sorry.'

She leaned forward again this time to kiss his hairline before she stood up and made her way towards that door, the door that would mean it was really over.

'Izzy,' he called after her, thinking there must be something to make this at least slightly better, and she turned once more to look at her. 'I'm sorry.'

She nodded and sent him another small smile, 'I know... Goodbye, Alec.'

She opened the door painstakingly slowly and left. Alec leant his head back against the wall with his eyes shut once the skirt of her dress disappeared from his sight and the door clicked shut. He could hear the heels of her shoes, clicking down the corridor and each one broke his heart. A lone tear ran down his cheek.

Isabella glanced back as she reached the front door of the building, she could see the door in which Alec was still behind but it was blurred by the tears that were streaming down her face.

'What happened?' Jane asked as her soaked twin brother entered the foyer to their house; from the look on his face, she knew he and Isabella were fighting again, not to mention nothing else would cause him to go walking in the rain.

'We fought,' he told her tonelessly, 'and then decided to take a break.'

Jane sighed: she really was routing for the two of them. She took a step toward her elder brother by a few minutes and hugged him tightly. Her father would be livid if he saw his son, and now daughter, soaking wet but their mother, who was the only one home, would be far more sympathetic.

'Come on,' she said pulling back and taking his hand. 'Mother's been worried sick about thou.'

'Alec, my dear,' his mother rose from her seat when they walked through the door to her and their father's sitting room. 'Where hath thou been, you missed supper? Why is thou wet?'

'With Isabella,' Alec said, barely remembering to use his girlfriends, now ex-girlfriends, full name rather than his nickname for her which was the only thing he ever called her by.

'Yes,' his mother's smile widen and he almost felt the need to flinch when he realised he'd have to tell her that they were "on a break" but she seems to have forgotten about his wetness at Isabella's name . 'When am I meeting her, young man?'

Jane squeezed his hand and urged him with her eyes to tell their mother when he met her gaze.

'Thou won't be, Mum,' he told her, looking over her shoulder instead at the woman who was in love with Isabella just because she made him smile more. 'We broke up, "on a break" is actually what is it but it's all the same.'

'Oh, darling.'

Nobody was home when Isabella entered her house, much smaller than the house Alec would enter hours later after walking in the rain which was beginning to start up again. She was half glad for the emptiness but part of her wished she had her father, not her step-father, her _real _father, her Papa because he was what she needed right now. She wanted to curl up near him like she had done when she was little and believe that _everything_ was going to be okay and Papa was going to make sure of that. It had been a long time since she had wished for her father back in her life, she had come to peace with it and decided he was probably happy wherever he was.

She headed straight to her room and pulled out the locket he had given her for her birthday just before he died. It was delicate object and now the chain it was on was too short to be worn as a necklace so, when she dared to wear it, she wore it as a bracelet, wrapping the chain around her wrist until it was secure. She studied it, knowing that she'd feel better as she did so.

After five minutes, she gave up, admitting that the ache in her heart wasn't going away. For the first time ever, handling and gazing at the last present her father gave her wasn't giving any comfort. It only made it worse. She yearned for her father's calming voice and nature, for his constant confidence in everything but at the same time she yearned for Alec's kisses and his presence. Two people that she wanted desperately in her life but two who seemed unlikely to be. Alec Carmichael was the one for her … if only they could stop fighting. Her father, her safe haven, was gone, dead, and she knew that wasn't any chance that he would return. She did believe in ghosts, she believed that if someone dies early and before their time, that they might get confused and trapped, not knowing or wanting to leave the place they knew but, really, old age was thirty-five. Her mother was nearing old age or just in it so her father actually didn't die that young. Younger than some, of course, but not unusually young since he was around twenty-nine.

The house was silent around her and the part of her that was glad to be alone was lessoning with each passing second.


	12. Haunting Images

Chapter 10 - Haunting Images

"**Some things cannot be described. Some moments cannot be shared, some feelings cannot be explained." - Unknown**

'Isabella.'

Her step-father's voice snapped her out of her daze and she looked up at him, suddenly remembering that he was a lot older than her mother. A thought popped into her head that her mother wouldn't lose a second husband. He had his hand extended toward her and in the other one, hanging by his side, he held a basket.

'Would thou go to the market and get some fruit for us?' he asked, smiling at her as he pulled her to her feet.

She smiled at him in return and took the basket from him, glad to have something to do besides helping her mother with the housework, although at the moment she was taking a break, reading a book the man standing in front of her had brought for her after her break-up with Alec, which was a sign of his great affection for her - books were expensive, you were lucky if you could afford one. They were usually a gift for something special not just out of the blue. The majority of what she read was from her father's library, that had been created over two lifetimes - the first being his fathers - which were beginning to become slightly low on new books for her to read leaving her with old favourites.

'I would be happy to, step-father,' she grinned but he could tell that it wasn't as bright as when she was being courted by Alec.

'Good,' he said in return, sighing internally, and placed some coins in her hand. 'Get thyself something as well. Thou works to hard.'

'Step-father,' she warned with a smile.

'Go!' he pointed toward the gate.

She sent him a last smile and hurried to the garden gate so she didn't have to go through the house. The Market was in the centre of town but it only took her about twenty minutes to walk there (it would have taken less had she not stopped to abide by a request to play with some of the younger girls on the streets who were skipping and dancing). It was busy at the Market with people bustling around the stalls set up by farmers and other locals, voices called from every direction with different offers, but it was also filled with laughter and cheerful voices and friends greeted each other.

Isabella walked through this crowd to where her family's normal fruit vendor usually set up shop but she hadn't gone very far when a voice stopped her.

'Thou wouldn't happen to be Isabella Cullen, would thou?'

It was a lady's voice and Isabella turned to find a lady who looked as though she was well off enough to have servants to come to the market for her. She had brown eyes and hair, which was rolled up in a pretty updo with a pink ribbon running through it and then falling onto her shoulder. Her dress, the skirt of which matched the ribbon in her hair, was made of fine material. Isabella was well off but not as well off as this lady appeared to be.

'Um, yes I am,' Isabella replied, curtsying politely but the woman ushered her up, shaking her head.

'Prithee, don't.'

'How did thee know I was Cullen - if it's not too bold to ask?' Isabella said as the lady took her arm and began walking her in the opposite direction than Isabella wanted to go but her curiosity was far too high to be squandered by that. Something about this woman was familiar but she couldn't tell what.

'Of course, it's not,' the lady waved her hand. 'I knew thy father and, may I say that thou is a splitting image of him, beside the eye colour?'

Isabella smiled: this was one thing she would never tire of hearing, 'Grammacy (thank you). I feel bad. Thee knows mine name, but I don't know thy's.'

'I'm Hayley,' the lady smiled again and Isabella noticed subtle dimples which made her look younger, Isabella had them too but they were far more pronounced. 'Hayley Carmichael.'

Just hearing the name made everything slow down around Isabella as the smile slipped off her face, she felt her heart speed up and her breathing feel as though it was too slow. Everyone seemed to more in slow motion and the only thing in focus was _his_ mother's face,

'Darling,' she continued, seeming not to notice Isabella's distress. 'Look.'

She spun Isabella around by the shoulders and pointed towards a building. Isabella frowned wondering why she pointing to a building that right now Isabella was having trouble focusing on until she noticed a figure sat on the bottom step of it. Her eyes focused as she took in the mop of brown hair, the same colour as the woman behind her. They weren't that far away so she saw his blue/green eyes as he looked from the floor to the sky, sighing as he did so. She flinched backwards not realising that his mother was behind her. Comforting arms wrapped around her and she couldn't help leaning into the embrace, tilting her head to rest against Hayley's.

Alec's gaze moved again and she noticed how dull his usually vibrant eyes were and it made her heart ache. The downturn of his mouth made her frown, the furrowing of his eyebrows made her bite her lip; everything about his appearance hurt her physically as though a sharp knife was stabbing her.

That wasn't an expression either because she knew how much sharp knifes hurt having gone through a stage of being depressed. She had never gotten to the point of wanting to kill herself but she had reached the point of feeling that physical pain was far better than mental pain before she pulled out of it. Actually, before Alec pulled her out of it, from that first dance he had begun to heal her.

'He misses thou,' his mother's voice, which had already become familiar to Isabella, whispered in her ear. 'Dost thou miss him?'

Isabella felt tears rising in her throat and knew that she couldn't lie even though she really wanted to. She wanted to get over this boy but he refused to leave her mind.

'Of course,' she replied just as softly, 'but I can't.'

With that said she pulled gently out of his mother's embrace and headed back to the fruit stand, knowing that she couldn't return to her house until she had some fruit like her step-father wanted.

'Good morrow, Miss Isabella,' Henry, the stall owner, beamed cheerfully at her as she approached. 'Lovely morrow, dost thou think?'

Weather-wise, she though sadly but fixed a fake smile, the one she had worn most days during her depression, onto her face. Nobody ever saw through it.

'It's lovely,' she beamed. 'Especially for this time of year.'

'Indeed,' he nodded. 'The usual, I assume.'

After Isabella nodded, he began bagging up the normal fruit order that she brought, keeping a stream of chatter up as he did so. Isabella tried to pay attention and talk with him like she normal would but she was more interested in where the Carmichaels were.

They didn't appear so she relaxed a bit as she walked back through the market. She was almost out of it when she saw Hayley, now sitting next to her son. Their eyes met and Hayley did not look disappointed or angry at all, as Isabella had expected her to, she just look sad and sympathetic and that made Isabella feel worse than ever.


	13. Holding Back

Chapter 11 – Holding Back

"**If you hold back how you feel because you're afraid of getting hurt, you end up hurt anyway." - Unknown**

The image of Alec sitting on the step haunted Isabella for the next few days. He saved her so why couldn't she let herself save him. They were meant to be "on a break" not "over"; there was meant to be a difference but the idea of being back with Alec scared her more than she cared to admit. To save him she would have to be close to him something she couldn't allow her heart to do.

She and Jane were still close friends and she would come over from time to time. The two of them would talk about everything but one specific person. Isabella yearned to know how Alec was but she couldn't bring herself to ask and Jane never mentioned him except in the passing comment of her going somewhere with him and her family.

Isabella envied Jane sometimes. Her father may not be the nicest guy in the world but she had that family structure: a mother and a father and a brother. Isabella had no father (her step-father was more of a friend who could tell her what to do) and no siblings. She sometimes wondered what it would be like to have one and thought that she probably wouldn't feel as lonely.

'Izzy, art thou listening to me?' Jane's voice broke through to her.

Jane had taken to calling her Izzy as well and the first time she had used it, after her and Alec's split, Isabella was surprised that it hadn't hurt.

'Nay, pardon, what was thou saying?' Isabella admitted looking at her friend apologetically.

'Father is trying to get Alec to court his friend's daughter!' Jane exclaimed, clearly so outraged by her father's actions that she broke her self-imposed rule of never mentioning Alec.

That hurt, she knew it would but she didn't expected it would hurt _this _much. The knives were back but this time far worse. Jane didn't seem to notice though she was still spewing out information.

'Alec's refusing though,' she said and Isabella's heart suddenly felt lighter, 'because he's still in love with-'

Jane cut herself out but the look she was giving Isabella finished her sentence "still in love with thou." Isabella sighed as the tingles spread through her body as the confirmation that he was still in love with her settled in.

'He's hurting, Izzy, thou both art,' Jane said softly, taking her hand and staring into her eyes imploringly. 'Would it not be better to just try again? Methinks, thou both would be happier.'

'I can't,' Isabella whispered, almost robotically because she had been telling herself the same thing.

'Why not?' Isabella wasn't sure if Jane was frustrated at her, Alec, her father or all three of them.

That questioned stumped Isabella. Why couldn't she? Was she that afraid of getting hurt again but what difference did it make? Jane was right she was hurting anyway.

'He is not going to hurt thou again, I know him better than anybody and he is crazy about thou,' Jane told her softly once again when she received no response.

'I shall talk to him,' Isabella said slowly and Jane shrieked throwing her arms around her.

'Now,' Jane grinned, pulling at her hand and pulling her out of the park the two were sitting in toward the east of London.

When they arrived at the house, Isabella's stomach was full of butterflies. The house was bigger than Isabella expected it to be but she found it easy not to gape at the beauty of it because of her the feeling in her stomach.

'Jane, I don't know -' Jane must have heard the fear in her voice because she turned around looking concerned but determined.

'It is going to be okay,' she said softly, squeezing the hand she still held. 'He is not going to break or bite thou. Iz, thy is the bravest person I know, thou canst dost this.'

Taking a deep breath, Isabella nodded and Jane opened the front door leading her into a foyer. They took time to remove shoes, something Isabella's family never bothered to do, and wraps before Jane took her hand again and gave it another squeeze. She began to lead her again, this time walking beside her. After what felt like ages, the stopped outside a door that had Alec's name carved into it.

'Al?' Jane asked using the same nickname that Isabella had once used for him. 'Art thou thither?'

'Yes,' Alec's voice replied and Isabella almost smiled, glad that it sounded the same.

Jane gestured with her heard and gathering herself together, Isabella took hold of the door handle and entered the room. It was a lounge and Isabella almost rolled her eyes, of course in a house this size all the bedrooms would have a lounge each. Alec didn't look up as she shut the door behind her, his eyes were focused on a book that she recognised.

'Alec,' her voice was quiet and she was almost positive that he wasn't going to hear her but he did and it caused his shoulders to tense.

The sick feeling was rising in Isabella and she tried to swallow to remove it. Alec turned slowly and Isabella nearly beamed at the fact he looked better than the last time she had seen him. She let out a small smile. His eyes were even sparkling a bit.

'Hi,' he replied only a bit louder, his eyebrows pulling down in confusion as he looked at her hovering in the doorway. 'What art thou doing hither?'

'I - I do not really know,' she said, keeping her eyes locked with his.

An eyebrow rose questioningly at her response but he gestured for her to come closer by patting the space of the sofa next to him. She was encouraged by a slightly smile on his face. She took another deep breath, cursing the way he made her feel.

'Thou looks good,' he said as she began to walk towards him.

'Grammancy (thanks),' she sighed, sitting down.

Hating that her heart wanted to lean against him as she used to, she looked toward him. Her hand moved to touch his cheek but she managed to control herself to brush a stray blonde curl from her face that always annoyed her. She tucked it behind her ear and slumped her shoulder's when it feel back down again.

Alec chuckled and her gaze went to him, daring him to laugh more. He reached his own hand up and took the curl himself, tucking it into the grip it was meant to be in. His hand grazed her cheek as he pulled back and a shock of electricity went through them both, causing Alec to pull his hand back quickly. His hand tingling like her cheek had when she kissed him goodbye. Isabella's skin wasn't tingling: it felt rather life it was burning in a nice way. They looked at each other but before either could do anything Isabella bit her lip and looked away from his intense gaze.

Alec groaned.

'What?' she asked returning her gaze to him.

'Thou,' he said simply and Isabella blanched wondering what she did. 'Biting thy lip, dost thou know how tempting that is?'

'Sorry,' she blushed deeply and Alec made another face, desperately wanting to kiss her but guessing that would probably get him slapped.

'Why art thou hither, Izzy?' he asked again, shaking his head slightly to try and get a hold on himself.

Isabella shut her eyes tightly, not believing she was going to say what she was but knowing it was true and that she needed to.

'I love thou,' she said and Alec's eyes widened, his eyebrows disappearing under his fringe, 'and not matter how much I try, I cannot get over thou, I cannot get thou out of my head. I miss thou and I miss us, even if we did fight loads and -'

She continued to ramble on but Alec could barely focus on what she was saying. She still loved him that was all that mattered to him along as there wasn't a "but" in what she was saying. He managed to get his expression under control and she was still going. However, this girl he knew so well that he knew that she wouldn't shut up until she had said everything she wanted to but for the first time he didn't want to listen to one of her speeches.

'Izzy,' he said and she paused long enough for him to speak. 'Shut up.'

'Nay, we need to…'

Point proven, he inwardly chuckled before he, very glad they were sat so close, leant forward and forced her to shut up.

Isabella would have continued her rambling speech for ever, she knew that just as well as Alec did, but just as she finished tell him the he had to know what she was telling him, her mouth became busy in a different way. She knew it was risk letting herself trust Alec but with him kissing her, his arms wrapping round her body and pulling her onto his lap, it was hard to remember why. His kisses were the best thing in the world to her and she was completely unable to resist them. She moved to straddle him so she could kiss him easier and twisted her hands in his hair, suddenly feeling safer and more at home than she had in weeks.

They both knew kissing with such lust and desire would be frowned upon when not married, but neither had ever put much stock in rules, they wouldn't go any further and besides there was no one around. They pulled apart as they began to lean back onto the sofa, both breathing heavily.

'I love thou but thou really needs to breathe between words,' Alec told her resting his forehead against hers.

'Less fighting this time,' she told him, brushing her thumbs across his face.

'Deal,' he kissed her again, chastely.


	14. Anyone Can Catch Your Eye

Chapter 12 - Anyone Can Catch Your Eye

"**Anyone can catch your eye, but it takes someone special to catch your heart" - Unknown**

'Ma!' Isabella yelled running through the door to her own home. 'Step-father!'

'Lounge, sweetie,' her step-father voice called as she hurried through the house.

They were sitting together, watching the crackling fire burn with content smiles. Her step-father's arm was leaning across the back of the sofa and her mother was leaning into his side. Isabella smiled at them.

'He asked me to marry him!' she shrieked bouncing up and down with excitement, showing them a glittering ring.

Her mother looked completely shocked and jumped up to hug her before taking her hand.

'Darling, it's beautiful … and expensive,' she said and Isabella giggled on a complete high.

Isabella's ring was charming: the band was blooming flowers and braided vines of white gold ran through with aquamarines and London blue topazes accenting while a large, brilliant blue sapphire took centre stage. (on profile) It was subtle but she was completely in love with it though not as much as she was by the boy who had given it to her.

'Darling, I'm so proud thou,' Cassandra grinned, hugging her tightly once again, before looking at her husband hesitatingly before continuing what she wanted to say. 'Carlisle, thy father, would be too.'

Isabella grinned at her mother, 'think he'd like Alec?'

'I'm sure he would,' Cassandra laughed, brushing that curl that hung in front on her eyes back. 'Simply because he makes thou happy. Rob, dear, dost thou not hath something to say to thy step-daughter.'

Her step-father smiled at the two of them before rising from the sofa, arms held out for Isabella. She went willingly.

'Congratulations, sweetie,' he smiled, sweeping her around in a circle.

'Thou already know, didn't thou?' Isabella lent back and asked curiously.

'Of course,' Robert shrugged easily. 'He asked me.'

Cassandra hit her husband, ' why did thou not tell me?'

'He asked me not to,' Isabella's step-father shrugged again and she suppressed a smile at her mother's face, 'besides wouldn't thou prefer to hear this from Isabella.'

'Fine, Fine,' he mother relented and Isabella and Robert laughed in time.

'We're having dinner with them tomorrow night,' Isabella told them, admiring her ring once again. 'Is that okay? Hayley and Mr Carmichael are going to be there, Janey, and Alec, of course, so thou both hath to come.'

'That's fine,' Cassandra smiled although Isabella could tell it was slightly forced but Isabella wasn't exactly looking forward to this dinner either since she would have to spend more than two seconds in Gavin Carmichael's company. However as much she loved Hayley, she often wondered why kind Hayley was married to the bully that Gavin was. 'Now, tell me everything.'

Isabella grinned again and launched into her story of how Alec proposed, her step-father's arm rested over her shoulder as he listened although her mother was more interested. She told them of how they went to the river side where they had first said I love you, how it had been the perfect day, how as they were about to leave he had got down on one knee. Everything was vivid in her mind so she could recount everything.


	15. Find the Good and Leave the Bad

Chapter 13 - Find the Good and Leave the Bad

"**People say, find good people and leave bad ones. But it should be, find the good in people and ignore the bad in them." - Unknown**

Hayley shoot her husband a warning look as they heard a knock on the door. Knowing that neither Janessa nor Alec would hear the door from their rooms, Hayley went to get the door telling her husband to bring the twins down. The maid was already there, opening it when she arrived and she could see two people standing on the top steps to their house. Her brow furrowed wondering where the third silhouette was.

'Mr and Mrs Fahey,' she beamed when she got closer having known that Isabella was not in the doorway since she had seen the group. 'It's lovely to meet thee finally. Where's dear Isabella?'

'It's a pleasure to meet thou as well,' Mr Fahey tipped his hat and then stepped aside so Hayley could see his step-daughter: she smiled.

Isabella was kneeling down in front of a small child, dabbing her laced edged handkerchief on the child's knee, not caring at it turned red from the blood. With her spare hand, she brushed the child's cheek, no doubt brushing tears away and Hayley could tell she was speaking quietly. Isabella jolted slightly as though she had a sudden idea and reached up to her to remove a ribbon using that to tie the handkerchief to the bleeding knee. She pulled the child to his feet and brushed his hair back. She must have asked him something because he nodded.

Hayley's smile had widened as she watched the scene and glanced at her son who had appeared at her side. She knew he had chosen well before but now she was absolutely positive: most people would ignore the child or walk past it in disgust. Isabella still hadn't turned, in fact she was reaching into the pocket of her dress. She spoke at normal volume so this time Hayley and the others around the door could hear her.

'Go get thyself something to eat okay,' she told the boy sternly, placing a hand on his cheek.

The little boy beamed at her and then, much to everyone's surprise, wrapped his arms around her. He was dirty and though Cassandra didn't look to happy about the state her daughter's beautiful dress was going to be in, Isabella didn't seem to mind. She leant down and hugged him back, whispering something in his ear.

The boy then ran off yelling a "grammacy (thank you)" back to her. She smiled after him before turned back to face the Carmichael's house. Realizing she was being watched, she blushed and smiled sheepishly at them. Alec grinned in return and after quickly greeting her family, headed down the front steps.

'Hi,' he said, placing a kiss on her cheek.

'Hi,' she said chirpily in return and grin spreading on her face, leaning forward to wrap her arms around his neck.

His arms wrapped tightly and spun her around causing her to laugh. He was still on her a high from her agreeing to marry him that he just wanted to kiss her but didn't, knowing their parent's wouldn't appreciate it.

'Kid okay?' he asked as they broke apart and he took her smaller and softer hand in his own, leading her toward the house.

'Think I'd let him go if he wasn't?' she countered, reaching to hug his mother who almost squeezed the life out her. ''Good e'en (evening), Hayley.'

Alec rolled his eyes but smiled at his fiancée as his mother replied.

'Well, come in, come in,' she suddenly bustled as she realised they were still standing in the doorway and let go of Isabella. 'No reason to linger on the doorstep.'

Isabella gravitated back to Alec and his hand rested just above her hip as his mother led them through the house. They walked through the foyer, Hayley lead the way chatting over her shoulder to Isabella's mother and stepfather while Alec and Isabella followed behind, talking quietly between themselves. Haley led the group through the foyer to the smallest reception were husband and daughter were sitting, surprisingly not arguing but having a civil conversation. She glanced back and both Alec and Isabella looked surprised as well. Isabella had been there a lot since she and Alec had become serious enough that she felt comfortable, so now she knew her way through the house but she also knew Jane could not normal speak civilly to her father.

'Izzy,' Jane jumped out when she saw Isabella and came quickly from her father looking relieved to hug her; as she did so she muttered quickly, 'nice timing. I was ready to rip his throat out.'

'Hello to thou to, Janessa,' Isabella hinted using Jane's full name to annoy her.

'Oh, shut up,' Jane laughed. 'Don't call me Janessa.'

'Janessa,' (Jane groaned and Isabella giggled) 'is thou going to greet the Fahey's?' Hayley suggested to her daughter before looking at her husband piercingly. 'Thou too, darling.'

Isabella and Alec exchanged an amused glance before he took her hand and pulled her to a sofa. They sat side by side but twisted so she could lean her back on his chest.

'This is going to be a long eventide (evening),' Alec muttered in her ear as his father stopped in front them to greet her.

'Isabella,' he nodded with is jaw tight and Alec's hands ball into fists in her clothes.

'Good eventide, Gavin,' Isabella smiled sweetly moving her hands to rest on Alec's to try and calm him but for the first time since she had known him the corner of Gavin's lips almost seemed to quirk up before he set his face again and walked back to his high-backed chair.

'Thy is _melting _him,' Alec said in awe sharing a surprised glance with Jane who had taken a seat next to Isabella.

'This is going to get interesting,' Jane laughed so quiet only Alec and Isabella could hear.

His mother then brought round drinks and the evening began.

Isabella's hair began falling down a bit to Alec's amusement because the ribbon had been keeping bits of it in place. The curl that always annoyed her was down again and her hand kept raising it. Alec grabbed it one time since the curl was on the side nearest him because her raising her hand constantly was getting on his nerves. She looked around surprised, wondering what had her hand and then smiled at him apologetically.

'Sorry,' she whispered low enough not to interrupt the conversation the adults and Jane were having.

Alec grinned and chuckled, kissing her palm and with his other hand tucked the annoying curl behind her ear. He then leant forward slightly and pressed a kiss to her temple. She turned her hand in his grasped to link their fingers together as she snuggled further into him, leaning her head against his shoulder. Jane smiled at them before turning back to the adults, although she was only listening to the conversation about money (Gavin was leading the conversation, Hayley was rolling her eyes at the three of them) as were Alec and Isabella.

'Isabella, dear,' Hayley said when her husband paused for breath at the end of the sentence. 'Can I see the ring?'

'Thou didn't show thy mother the ring,' Isabella turned and scolded a sheepishly looking Alec as she separated herself from him.

She walked over to Hayley's chair and she pulled her down gently to sit on the arm of the chair. Gavin didn't look pleased at the reminder of their engagement and Alec pointed this out to Jane as his mother gushed over Isabella's ring.

'Miserable old man,' he muttered and Jane nodded, rolling her eyes.

His father had never liked Isabella; he thought no one was good enough for his son but unluckily for him Hayley thought the girl was the best thing that had ever happened to her son since she made him more alive without even knowing she had done it or meaning to do it.

'Dinner is served, master,' a young servant girl announced, hovering at the doorway.

'Very well,' Gavin said as everyone rose from the seats.

Isabella frowned as he walked past the girl. She met Alec as she walked across the room and they followed her parents out.

'Grammacy,' she whispered to the young girl who smiled up at her and she felt a hand squeeze her own.

The dining room was larger, larger than they needed and as they walked in she heard Hayley huff. Isabella glanced back to see her looking annoyed at her husband and Isabella guessed that they weren't using their smaller dining room because Gavin had given instructions to eat here. She looked at Alec and Jane and both seemed as annoyed as their mother.

Alec held a chair out for Isabella and, smiling up at him, she sat down. Her mother sat on one side of her, Alec on the other.

'Hayley seems nice,' her mother whispered to her and Isabella grinned,

'Hayley's amazing,' she agreed. 'It's just Gavin who scares me.'

'He scares everyone, sweetheart.'

Isabella smiled in agreement as Alec placed a hand on his arm to get her attention. She turned but he wasn't looking at her but gestured with his chin to his father. Gavin was raising a glass and looked thoroughly unhappy.

'Ignore him, he just isn't happy about the engagement,' Alec whispered to Isabella and her mother and Isabella saw Jane whispering, probably the same thing, to her step-father.

Gavin rambled on about how happy he was for their engagement and how it was a wonderful thing to be joining their two families together but everyone could see the tense set to his jaw, the sharpness in his eyes and the forced tone to his voice. They all knew he wasn't happy about the engagement, they all knew every time Alec and Isabella fought he was happy, hoping that his son would now leave the "reckless", "useless" and "stupid" girl for someone of higher class though she was highly respected.

'To Alec and Isabella,' Gavin said, raising his glass and smiling forcefully at them.

Isabella saw a smirk appear on Alec's face before he turned his head and kissed her on the cheek. Gavin's face turned red and she fought the urge to laugh, slapping Alec on the shoulder. The rest of the dinner moved slowly and by the end Isabella let out a sigh of relief causing Alec to smirk at her.

'It's over now,' he chuckled, 'and everyone survived.'

She giggled and took his offered hand to rise out of her seat. They wondered out to the patio. While everyone else stood and accepted the drinks they were offered Alec and Isabella took a walk through the garden.

'Think thou could live with that for the rest of thy life?' he asked her and she turned to look at him smiling.

'Only if thy is by my side,' she told him, pushing herself up on her toes to press a kiss to the corner of his lips.

'Always,' he told her but for some reason those words felt like a lie.


	16. No Sense to Me

Chapter 14 - No Sense to Me

"**A fool in love makes no sense to me. I only think you are a fool if you do not love." - Unknown**

Isabella sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror. She had gotten her wish; she had gotten _more _than her wish. Her dream had been to marry a man that she could be friends with like her parents but instead she got a marriage she never even thought of having because it was so unlikely: a marriage to someone she loved with all her heart.

She was dressed in a heavy dress consisting of many layers made of luxurious material. It was light blue mixed with ivory - her mother had wanted it more colourful but Isabella much preferred the subtle look. The dress was floor-length and had a solid-coloured pale blue skirt of silk, which split in the middle and tied back like curtains to reveal another skirt of ivory silk brocade beneath. The bodice was form-fitting and lined with whale bone. The necklines on the gown was rounded and reasonable low, although Isabella had attached lace around it to make it more modest. The sleeves were 3/4 length so they exposed her forearms and wrist, allowing her locket to be seen. It was her only jewellery besides the Cullen coat of arms around her neck.

'Art thou ready?' her step-fathers voice asked through the door and she sighed.

She loved her step-father but it was today that she most wanted her father. She knew it should be him giving her away and she took a deep breath.

'Yes,' she called back and began walking toward the door careful not to step on her train.

Her step father met her outside the door and smiled at her, hugging her tightly.

'Thou looks beautiful,' he said as a he let her go, holding her at arm's length.

'Grammacy (thank you),' she said softly as she looked around the room.

They were in the room of her father's church where she could get ready, Alec was somewhere else around but Jane was here and so was her mother. Isabella smiled at them from her place in the doorway. Jane leaped up, her dress bouncing around her.

'Thy is going to be my sister-in-law soon,' she bounced, hugging Isabella tightly.

Isabella smiled and looked up at Jane. She was only two inches taller than her but a year older. Alec was four inches taller than Jane, making him six inches taller than Isabella, making her glad she wore heels most of the time.

'Yes, just a little while now,' she squeezed Jane's hands.

'Actually, they're reading to start,' her step-father interceded. 'The groom and best man hath just headed down the aisle. So let us get to the doors.'

Her mother hugged Isabella tightly as they began to walk towards the doors at the front of the aisle and Isabella beamed back, feeling a bit off. She had no problems with marrying Alec, that's what she wanted with all her heart at the moment but she wasn't one for being stared at, which was something she couldn't avoid walking down the aisle.

When they got there, she saw Alec and Jane's grandparents as well as her maternal ones and Hayley who came over and hugged her tightly, kissing her forehead. Alec's paternal ones went first down the aisle once her mother had waved to the priest to say they were ready, followed by his maternal and then Isabella's. Hayley then blew her another kiss and walked through the door, and, after another hugged, Cassandra followed her, leaving Jane, Isabella and Robert at the end on the aisle.

The music changed slightly and Jane went, winking to Isabella. It seemed to take Jane forever to walk down the aisle and Isabella found herself taking deep, steadying breathes.

'I won't let thy fall,' her step-father assured her, placing his hands on her shoulder from behind.

Isabella nodded, about to speak but at that moment the music changed again signalling that Jane had passed her mother and that it was her turn to walk in. Her step-father offered him arm and she beamed up at him.

'Let's go.'

The walk down the aisle was long (the church was large) but it felt even longer. Isabella's eyes flickered around their guests: her and Alec friends and family. She and Jane had decorated the church so that came as no surprise to her and allowed her eyes to quickly find Alec. Her smile widened as she met his warm blue-green eyes and he winked at her, grinning.

He took a few steps toward her as she got closer to him and so they met a few steps away from the alter. Her step-father shook her fiancés hand before turning to kiss her cheek. He then took her hand and placed it in Alec's. The tingle's ran through her arm as they always did when they touched.

The vows seemed to be a blur but Isabella could remember every word she spoke and every word Alec spoke to her along with every expression that crossed Alec's face. She stared into his eyes the whole time expect for when she had to turn to Jane to get the ring and when placing it on his finger. He was the same. Her eyes had also strayed from his when he placed the ring on hers because the ring was so subtly beautiful and elegant, matching the band of her engagement ring - the band blooming flowers and braided vines.

'Thou may kiss the bride,' she heard the priest say and she allowed her eyes to stay to him, but only for a split second.

Her arms wrapped around Alec's neck as he lent down to kiss her and as soon as their lips touched everyone began to clap. Isabella tried not to become lost in the kiss, like they both usually did, since they would usually end up in a position that wasn't really suitable for company. She could tell Alec was holding back, no doubt trying for the same effect as she was. Despite this she smiled against the kiss. She knew it was cliché but she felt sparks flying and her skin was tingling through her clothes were his hands were resting. She was now Isabella Cullen-Carmichael, she had gotten her dream.

They broke apart slowly after what felt like a short time and rested their foreheads against each other. As they turned to face the crowd who, Isabella noticed, were on their feet, music began playing and she turned to take her bouquet from Jane, who was grinning so wide Isabella was sure her cheeks hurt.


	17. Life Is Magic

Chapter 15 – Life Is Magic

"**Life is magic, the way nature works seems to be quite magical." - Unknown**

'Alec, honey! Hayley! Gavin! Janey!' Isabella called as she entered her in-laws home, where she and her husband were still living until they found a house.

Alec found her first, poking his head out of the lounge.

'Everything okay, babe?' he asked, walking toward her.

He reached for her but she just shook her head and took his hand, grinning widely. She pulled him back into the lounge, knowing from the noise that no one was in there. She turned and threw her arms around him. He stumbled back slightly.

'Izzy!'

She pulled back, her face still in a beaming smile. She held onto his shoulders so she could balance on her tip-toes.

'Alec, I think I am pregnant'

From his face, Isabella knew he had heard her but it didn't make sense in his brain.

'What?'

'I am late,' she told him breathlessly. 'I have been late for weeks and I am never late. Put thy hand there.' - she put her hand to her stomach and he could feel the change to her body, a slight bump. 'Ah!'

Alec withdrew his hand at the sudden pressure against his hand. 'Did…'

'Told thou. I am pregnant! We are pregnant! We are going to have a baby!'

She laughed and Alec joined her, picking her up and spinning her around. Isabella laughed again as he placed her down, pressing a kiss to her lips.

'What is going on?' Jane's voice suddenly laughed as the two of them broke out of their trance.

Ten minutes later, Gavin had brought them all drinks and they were toasting to the new life, their new life.

'Ma!' Isabella called as she walked into her old house where her mother was still living after her step-father's death (Alec had had a fight with his father, which he won, about supporting her mother, so now Gavin was keeping her mother's wellbeing alive) with Alec just behind her. 'Art thou hither?'

'Yes, sweetheart,' her mother's voice called and Alec gestured to the left where her voice had come from.

They walked into the living room to find it full of Silvertongue's (her mother's side of the family) and Isabella sighed heavily. Most of her mother's family were so stuck up and held the rules of society highly that Isabella couldn't stand being near them for more than a few seconds - her mother's closest brother being the exception.

Isabella let go of her husband and went to perch on the arm of her mother's chair.

'Ma, Alec and I hath news,' she said softly, unsure if she wanted to tell everyone this news at the same time as her mother.

'Well, honey, tell us all,' her mother beamed, too caught up with her family to notice her daughters hesitation.

Isabella glanced towards Alec and he shrugged unhelpfully, walking over and standing behind her comfortingly, his hands resting on her shoulders - he knew how much these people annoyed her. Sighing heavily at all the curious gazes, Isabella turned and focused on her mother alone.

'I am pregnant,' she said cringing as she heard the gasps and squeals from the rest of the room.

Her mother gasped herself before pulling them both up and Isabella into a hug.

'Oh, this is wonderful,' she laughed, reaching to hug Alec as she let Isabella go.

Isabella was pulled to her most giggly and gossipy cousins and sent Alec a panicked look. He, however, couldn't help her being stuck with other members of her family. Isabella loved her mother but she couldn't understand how she could stand these people.

They escaped after what felt like hours and made their way back to Gavin and Hayley's, where the candles were all out and it was peacefully quiet. Although, exhausted they didn't go to bed, instead snuggled in front of the fire in the lounge by their bedroom and just sat quietly, glad for the silence after the noise the endured today. Neither Alec nor Isabella were much for parties and noise, preferring quiet and small family gatherings.


	18. They Walk Beside Us Everyday

Chapter 16 – They Walk Beside Us Everyday

"**Those we love don't go away, they walk** **beside us every day.**

**Unseen, unheard, but always near; still loved, still missed and forever dear." – Unknown**

Isabella sighed as she kissed her husband goodbye. It had been two months since they had told their families of her pregnancy but since then everything had gone downhill. Jane had gotten seriously injured from falling down some stairs in the house and was now recovering, Hayley and Gavin were fighting like mad (more than she and Alec were at the beginning) and Isabella had noticed, since for about a month and a half she had started to have regular visits with her mother every week, that her mother was showing a lot of signs of dying - the signs were obvious to Isabella having had so many family members die around her. She was petrified of losing her mother; of course, she had Hayley and Alec and Jane, and even Gavin sometimes, her mother was the one she asked for advice on how to be a good wife or for pregnancy tips and the one she told when she was upset or mad or happy. Isabella wasn't ready to lose the last member of her immediate blood family.

It was a long walk for her house with the Carmichaels to her old home but the walk was so familiar to her that it didn't seem to take very long although she made several stops of the way. She smiled at the sight of the Cullen family church still as familiar to her as it always had been. It looked the same as she remembered it from when she was younger but she knew it wasn't .The lock on the door was getting tricky and the door itself made a horrible noise when opened, some of the wood in the church was beginning to look extremely old but still sturdy and the area's with a bit of paint were beginning to peel. She had silently promised herself that she would fix up the legacy of her paternal family but with everything going on she had been too busy.

'Hello?' Isabella called as she walked into the house as she always did but she received no reply. It was usual, her mother usually replied to her in a cheery, weak voice. 'Ma? Art thou home?'

She began walking further into the house, first checking the lounge where her mother usually waited for her before doubling back on herself to check the other downstairs rooms. She glanced at the kitchen as she placed her hand on the stair railing, thinking she'd check there were she came back down since it was right at the bottom of the stairs and the last place she would expect her mother to be.

However, a light peach colour caught her eye from the kitchen archway and she spun around, hurrying over.

'Ma, art thou hit-?'

Isabella stopped dead at the sight that met her in the once happy kitchen. Her mother was lying on her stomach, her head lying on its side to look at the doorway. Her eyes were wide and glassy, her hair fanned out around her (strange since she usually kept it in a bun), and her lips slightly parted. Isabella felt all the breath leave her body as she gazed down at her mother and the split food all around her. She dropped to her knees crawling towards her last family member and began to wonder how long she had been there. It looked like dinner around her and she began to worry that her mother had been lying there for hours.

'Ma!' Isabella gasped, shaking her mother in desperation. 'No, no, Ma, wake up! Ma! Please, wake up!'

There was no reply and Isabella began screaming out for Alec, although she knew he wasn't around having said goodbye to him not too long ago … but it seemed long ago. Hours ago, day's ago. Isabella ran her hands through her hair frantically, it was amazing that she still didn't know what to do in this situation but then … she had never found a family member, had simple said goodbye to them or been told that they had "passed on".

Someone obviously heard her screams because she heard the door bang open and speeding footsteps coming towards her. They crouched on the other side of her mother's body and put a hand on her shoulder. Isabella didn't realise she was still screaming for her mother and for Alec but at the voice, a deep voice that seemed vaguely familiar, that told her she was, she tried to stop.

Once calmed slightly she looked up to meet blue eyes that always were there for her but they were in the wrong face. Gavin Carmichael stared down at her in pity, none of his usual dislike for her in his face, just sheer pity and sympathy.

'Come on,' he said, pulling her up by the top of her arms. His voice was softer than usual, kinder and Isabella somehow found it with herself to wonder if this was a reason Hayley married him 'Go outside.'

She fought against him but she was no match for his full grown strength being only a teenager. He guided her outside and just as they left the house, Isabella still struggling to go back to her mother, her uncle ran over. His eyes widened in alarm and Isabella realised that tears were streaming maliciously down her face. Gavin willingly handed her over to him when he reached out for her and she collapsed against his chest in heart-wrenching sobs.

'Go home, sweetie,' he told her softly and when he spoke again Isabella knew it was to Gavin. 'Take her home, I hath got it from hither,'

Isabella didn't remember the walk home but she noticed that Gavin was guiding her, his arm loosely around her shoulder, his hand rubbing her arm to try and provide some comfort although it wasn't successful since she was too numb to really feel it. From all the she had seen and heard about him, she was surprised he was trying but grateful none-the-less. This didn't mean she wasn't glad when they entered the house.

He let her go immediately as she began to pull against him and, once whispered a barely audible thank you to him, she made her way, almost ghost-like, to the library and Alec.

He knew what had happened as soon as he set eyes on her and she was sure she looked a mess, Without a moment's hesitation, the book was thrown to the floor and Alec, seemingly impossibly fast, wrapped her tightly in his arms.

The funeral took place not a week later and Isabella sobbed in her husband's arms, she dropped dirt and a rose onto the coffin as it seemed she had done a hundred times before, and she watched as her mother was buried, another member of her family gone.

Her uncle pulled her and Alec aside at the end and placed a key in Alec's hand, Isabella recognised it as her mother's house key. Isabella looked at him in confusion.

'She wanted thee two to hath the house,' her uncle explained looking right at her but glancing at times to Alec. 'It's thy home, Isabella, it always has been. Besides, thou two can't stay with Hayley and Gavin any longer, thou shall need more room.'

Alec thanked him for her since she was too busy looking in the direction of her childhood home, although she couldn't see it for the church. She sighed to herself happily, she loved that house and her uncle was right it had always been her home, her safe haven second to the church, and it held a special place in her heart. She wouldn't be able to bear to see it sold off to some stranger, there were too many memories.

'Art thou going to okay, babe?' Alec asked her hours later and she looked up at him from where she was curled against his body.

'Yes, I hath thou,' she smiled at him and he leaned down to kiss her softly.

'And thou always shall,' he told her, kissing her again.

Orphan she now may be, but she knew she would never be alone. Gavin Carmichael, although he had gone straight back to his normal self the next time she had seen him, had strengthened her belief that there is good in everyone and that she would never be alone and Alec had just strengthened everything she already knew: that she had him through thick and thin and that she loved him with all her heart.


	19. There's No Magic in the World

Chapter 17 – There's No Magic in the World

"**It all just feels so fake, you know? This **_**idea**_** that good things happen to good people, that there's **_**magic**_** in the world, and that the **_**meek**_** and the **_**righteous**_** will inherit it. Too many good people**_** suffer**_** for that to be true. Too many prayers go unanswered. And **_**every**_** day it just gets worse. Every day we ignore how truly **_**broken**_** this world is, and we tell ourselves it's all going to be okay. **_**"You're going to be okay."**_** But it's **_**not**_** going to be okay... And once you know that...there's no going back. There's no magic in the world." – Haley James Scott (Bethany Joy Lenz), One Tree Hill**

Denial

'I'm sorry, thee husband and sister-in-law art … they art dead, Isabella.'

Forever and always just got a whole lot shorter, was the first thought in Isabella's mind but it just shut down. She turned and just walked away leaving the man who had known her all her life, since he had been her father's friend, standing in the kitchen alone. She wasn't sure what his words meant exactly but she knew they were bad, that they meant something terrible had happened and that it was going to affect her deeply but what that was didn't seem to be clicking in her mind. She just went straight to the lounge and sat down on a chair to wait for her husband to make sense of everything for her as he so often did.

For some reason the thought of her beloved husband cause her double over in pain.

'Isabella, listen to me,' her father's friend had followed her and now knelt down in front of her. 'I know it's hard to deal with, to even contemplate, but, sweetie, they art gone, they art dead and we canst dost naught to change that.'

Isabella's head jerked up to look up at him, glaring angrily and causing him to look taken aback.

'He's not dead!' she yelled in reference to her Alec, pulling away from the messenger. 'They art not dead!'

'Isabella,' he said calmly tying to call her down and she felt a tear trickle down her cheek.

'Get out!' she shouted, pointing to the door. 'Just leave!'

He seemed sympathetic and not angry at all that she was yelling out him to get out of her house. From the look on his face, it was almost as though he didn't want to leave her alone at that specific moment but he thought it was for the best. He moved to the door slowly, watching Isabella pick up a vase.

2. Anger

The hideous object shattered as it the wall and Isabella found it vaguely satisfying hearing the vase Gavin had given her and Alec break into a thousand tiny fragments. It shattered to the floor looking a lot like Isabella's heart and that made her angrier, though she wasn't sure why. She chucked a cushion at it to hide the sight, not having the right energy to feel the need to clean it up properly. It wobbled as it flew, knocking objects to the floor and they also shattered, just like the vase and her heart.

This continued for what seemed like a long time before finally she accidently knocked over the one object she was trying to avoid. The beautiful music box that she adored, a present from her mother for her wedding since it had been in her family for years, seemed to move in slow motion as it tumbled of Isabella's piano and onto the floor. Isabella moved to catch it but it slipped through her fingers and smashed on the floor.

'Oh, for goodness sake!' Isabella snapped angrily feeling tears well in her eyes, bending down to examine it as she heard the front door open.

'Izzy, sweetheart?' Hayley's soft voice carried through the halls toward her and Isabella looked up to the doorway.

She couldn't see the front door from here but she knew she didn't need to. Hayley would come into view any second now. She looked surprisingly well, was the first thing Isabella thought when she saw her, still composed, still surviving, unlike how Isabella felt. She didn't look as though she was breaking inside. That, however, was before Isabella noticed the red circles around her eyes, the tightness to her smile and the sagging to her shoulders. She wasn't okay, she was just good at looking like it, somehow that didn't seem to help like she expected it would.

'They told thou? Hayley asked but it sounded more like a statement. She sighed and walked towards her, sitting on the floor and leaning her back against Isabella's piano. 'I wanted to tell thou myself… how art thou, Izzy?'

Although she said it softly, it just sparked the simmering angry inside Isabella. She span around to look at her husband's mother and glared. She had never glared at Hayley before and, though she felt bad, she couldn't stop what was tumbling out her mouth.

'How art I? How art I?' Isabella almost screeched. 'What kind of question is that? Of course, I'm not alright: mine husband is supposable dead so is his sister and everything is just tumbling out of control! I don't want to talk' - Hayley had opened her mouth and Isabella's tears started up once again - 'just get out -'

'Izzy …'

'Get Out!' Isabella yelled, spinning away from Hayley and looking out into the garden.

She heard Hayley sigh and a pang of guilt went through her but her stubbornness prevented her to apologise as she normal would have. She just wanted to be alone but the sound of Hayley's clicking heels fulfilling her request made her feel more alone that she through it would.

Isabella flopped into a chair.

She didn't know why she had snapped at the woman who had lost both her children at the same time but was still trying to keep up a better image than Isabella and had come here to try break the news softly and to comfort them both.

Hayley sighed as she shut the door to the house. She often wondered what kind, sweet, intelligent Isabella did to deserve this amount of loss; her father when she was young, too young; her grandfather; her step-father; her mother; and now her husband and sister-in-law, not to mention all cousins who hadn't survived long enough to reach adulthood, and the aunts and uncles who had died of old age. It just wasn't fair that Isabella was suffering, that she was so angry, and upset, and hurt. It just wasn't right.

3. Bargaining

Isabella walked in a trance toward the church, it didn't feel safe anymore. She sat in the front most pew and bent her head down, clasping her hands together. She knew it was useless trying to barging with God, she had tried it with her father to no avail, but she had to try.

It had been a few days and the world surrounding Isabella just seemed to be getting darker, to be getting broken and harder to survive in. Although, Isabella knew she must. She wondered if things would be different if she wasn't pregnant, if she didn't have her and Alec's child within her but she decided that she couldn't feel worse than she already did, just have less of a reason to keep going.

She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed from her husband, sister-in-law and parents back, for Hayley and Gavin, for her children and even a little for herself, once again hoping that her faith in god would guide through until she felt alive again though she wondered if she would ever reach that point.

4. Depression

She had felt like this before: this hopelessness; this sadness; almost numbness. This time, however, it was worse. She didn't feel love, she didn't feel joy, she didn't feel inspired - she just felt numb. The smile that used to grace her face was gone, replaced with nothing. Her laughter didn't ring out and fill up a room like it used to. Not even the life inside her could cause either reaction.

Once again she was near the church, searching for peace. Her head bent down over her father's grave, not saying anything because she saw no point. Her belief in God was fading. She couldn't see how a God could exist when all the cruel things in life happen, all the good people in life tortured, killed and hurt. How could a there be a God if he allowed things, like causing a family pain (Hayley who was nothing but a wonderful woman and mother didn't deserve the pain that she was suffering), to happen? She wanted someone to explain that to her because she was failing to understand. Some told her that for people to understand and be happy, they had to suffer but the only reply they got was "tell that to someone who is suffering". Despite her lack of faith, however, the church had once again become her safe haven.

She was scaring herself in her home: the sharp knives beginning to look strangely appealing, the idea of ending it all seemed appealing, physical pain seemed appealing. Her fear of not being enough was growing every day and the fear of being broken taken over a long time ago - broken becoming her normal state, she no longer feared it but understood it. Most of the time she spent laying on her and Alec's bed, doing nothing with Hayley coming in a forcing her to eat and drink, shedding tears as she tried to get Isabella to play her piano and smile again. Isabella hadn't played since Alec's death, it seemed no Alec meant no music, and smiling seemed like the last thing she wanted to do.

Hayley watched from the church's back door as Isabella moved, pressing a kiss to her father's headstone, with a frown on her face. Bent now over her husband and Hayley's sons' grave, she looked so young and broken. She hadn't seen her smile in weeks. She missed the way her daughter-in-law used to be: a happy, vibrant, talented and insightful girl that managed to almost melt the infamous Gavin Carmichael. She had already lost both her children and she would be damned if she didn't save her daughter-in-law who she loved she just as much as her own and who had lost so much in her short lifetime.

5. Acceptance

There was a difference in Isabella now than in the last two months, a calm and stillness that had never been present before. She was beginning to accept the fact that her husband and sister-in-law were gone for good and Hayley knew that was good for her. She wasn't happy, not yet, but she was going to be, even if took years, eventually she would be happy again. She was going to be okay as Hayley always knew she would be. Isabella was strong and she was a fighter. She pulled back from the hug her daughter-in-law had suddenly bestowed upon her as she entered the house to check on her, smiling at her which was returned weakly by the young girl.

Then Isabella suddenly let out a gasp, grasping onto Hayley's arms as a wave of pain shot through her.


	20. The Birth of Three People

Chapter 18 – The Birth of Three People

"**The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new." - ****Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh**

It was strange how she suddenly felt happy again, like someone had flicked a switch. She had accepted her husband and sister-in-laws death but she hadn't been happy. Now, holding her and her husband's children she felt much better. This life was a part of her and more importantly a part of him. Everything wasn't better, she knew that, but she also now knew that it was going to be, as Hayley had been telling her all along.

'Hayley!' Isabella beamed as her mother-in-law entered the room

Hayley raised her eyes to meet Isabella's and was amazed to see a wide smile gracing her cheeks. There was a spark in her eyes that she had been lacking before and, though it could have been from just giving birth, she had a lot more colour in her cheeks. Hayley smiled back at her and continued moving closer, wanting to get closer to the woman, the girl for she only just tuned sixteen three months ago, she had missed so much.

'Oh, Isabella,' she sighed and leaned down to wrap the younger woman in a hug, careful not to crush the babies in her arms.

She pulled back, feeling tears blur in her eyes but she blinked them away desperately looking at the two babies in their mother's arms. They were small, smaller than Alec and Jane had been, but, she felt bad for thinking it, more beautiful. They both had blue eyes but Hayley knew that would change. In both of them, she could see parts of both their parents already: the girls lips were full, her cheek bones Cullen high, and on her head wisps of pale blonde hair; the boys lips not quite as full - something she remembered thinking about Alec in comparison to Jane - and his hair was brown, his cheekbones were lower but his eye shape was Isabella's and, therefore, Cullen.

'Twins,' Isabella laughed breathlessly. 'Boy and a girl, how perfect is that?'

Hayley smiled softly at her, 'just perfect. Have thou named them yet?'

'Well,' Isabella pondered. 'Alec and I had decided on "Teresa Helen" and "Callen" - for Cullen - "Bailey" but …'

'But?' Hayley asked curiously wondered where her daughter-in-law was going with this as she perched on the edge of her bed.

Isabella handed her the girl.

'This, I've decided, is "Theresa Jane Helen Carmichael" - Tess for short,' she said, her beam softening to a soft smile and Hayley eyes once again became blurred with tears. 'And this little guy is "Callen Alec Bailey Carmichael." What dost thou think?'

'Methinks, they art wonderful names. It's so good to see thou smile again.'

Isabella sighed, 'I couldn't have managed these last few months without thou, Hayley, grammancy.'

'Nonsense, thou is mine daughter-in-law and I love thou,' Hayley said, brushing a lank curl from Isabella's face. 'I'm hither for thou.'

'I know.'

'Good,' she nodded firmly. 'Anyway, this is meant to be a happy day. Thou's a mother!'

Isabella suddenly looked petrified.

'Twins,' she whispered, her eyes growing wide. 'How am I meant to take care of twins without Alec? Two babies! I can't do this…'

She continued rambling in a typical Isabella way and Hayley laughed, reaching for her hand and steading Theresa in her arms.

'Isabella,' she said sternly, ' thou shall be a wonderful mother; I know thou can do this because thou is so strong and fighter and these two children will grow up with the best mother they could have asked for. Thou can do this alone, thou had no father from the age of eight, Izzy, and thou turned out wonderfully. However, thou won't be alone. Thou had so me, Gavin (although, I admit he's not the greatest with children but these are his grandchildren), thou has thy uncles, aunts and cousins, and friends. We shall help thou. Thou dost not hath to go through any of it alone, we're family.'

'Right,' Isabella tried to calm herself down.

'Thy parents would be so proud of thou right now,' Hayley smiled.

'I miss them,' Isabella said softly as Hayley moved up the bed to rest on the headboard beside her and she gazed into Callen's young face.

'We all miss people, dear,' Hayley stroked her hair and Isabella rested her head on her mother-in-laws shoulder. 'Get some sleep, Izzy, thou needs and deserves it.'


	21. Time Passes

Chapter 19 – Time Passes

"**Time passes. Even when it seems impossible. Even when each tick of the second hand aches like the pulse of blood behind a bruise. It passes unevenly, in strange lurches and dragging lulls, but pass it does." – Bella Swan, New Moon**

'Hales, I'm just going to get some bread can you watch the twins for me,' Isabella said peeking into the lounge where Hayley was rubbing her nose against Theresa's.

Bless her heart, Hayley was spending as much time around Isabella's house as possible while Gavin just supported them financially. A good thing too because Isabella would have never been able to bring her heart to remarry again like her mother had.

'Alright, dear,' Hayley looked up and smiled at her. 'Where's Callen?'

'I just put him to bed,' she told her mother-in-law, walking forward and kissing her cheek. 'I won't be long.'

'Okay.'

The last three months had been utterly perfect besides that absences of certain people: the twins were growing well, life felt as though it had some meaning again, she was closer to Hayley than she even had been, Theresa was already showing a slight distaste for her name preferring to be called Tess while Callen was perfectly happy, her blonde hair was beginning to get long enough that you could tell that it was going to become tighter curls than Isabella's own, Callen's eyes were darkening toward brown while Theresa's were just getting bluer so Isabella was fairly certain that her twins were going to be complete opposites although Hayley said that they're eyes, though different colours, were the same shape. Isabella longed for her husband to share their children's joy with but alas that was never to be so she took joy in having a part of him with her, little Callen who according to Hayley and Gavin looked so much like Alec at that age with a few small expectations.

Isabella grabbed her cloak and shoved her feet in her boots. It was unreasonable warm for March so she didn't grab the winter shawl, didn't grab any actually, just her basket and headed out the door. The sun wasn't out and sky was covered with clouds making it feel extremely heavy. She was greeted by the sight of children playing happily in the square and she smiled thinking the one day Callen and Theresa would be the ones playing out there and she would be like the mothers sitting there chatting and watching them enjoy their childhood, the time before everything complicates itself. Little did Isabella know that she wouldn't be around long enough to see that.

Isabella uttered a scream when her arm was grabbed and she was pulled into a dark street and she didn't stop until a hand was pressed tightly over her mouth. She froze as a pair of salmon eyes met hers seeming as though they were changing from red to another colour or maybe the other way around.

'Shut _up_,' he said exasperatedly though she already had, staring at him in shock and fear. 'I know something, something you're going to want to know but thou can't know it like this.'

Before Isabella could gather her thoughts enough to respond, impossible anyway since his hand was still over her mouth, he leant down toward her bare neck. She began to struggle against his grip as she grasped what he was trying to do and what he was: vampire. She screamed against his hand as his teeth broke from the skin on her neck, straight away giving an agonising pain. She was aware from a few minutes until she felt herself collapse under the pain. Isabella waited for it to stop knowing that normally when you black out the pain stops but this pain was different: it just continued burning. To begin with it was only in her neck but then she felt the vampire bit her wrists and then they began to feel like they had been lit on fire. She thrashed and screamed against the pain, hoping someone would help her, before she remembered that no one could do much against a vampire - she highly doubted wooden sticks and garlic worked as most people believed.

After that she tried to stay as still as possible, as it felt like her body was being burnt alive, as the pain creep out from her neck and wrists. It was unbearable and her heart was beating like she had just run a race. Isabella tried to focus on something beside the burning pain: Hayley, Alec, and Jane; the twins who she knew, even now, that she would probably never be able to see again, their sweet faces who at the moment knew nothing of evil but it was hard and eventually she felt a blackness descending over her and the differentiation between reality and dreams began to waver. Isabella could barely tell which was which and the pain burned on as a constant torture of her entire body.


	22. Part 2 - Lonely Twilight

Part 2 – Lonely Twilight 


	23. New Beginnings

Chapter 20 – New Beginnings

"**Every story has an end but, in life, every ending is just a new beginning." – Ray (Dakota Fanning), Uptown Girl**

The pain stopped suddenly with a finally thump of Isabella's heart and her eyes snapped open, something she immediately regretted as everything bombarded her. The sounds of movement made her flip off the table and land across the room from the sound and she was surprised to hear herself growl. She glanced around the room she didn't know how she got to and her eyes settled on the same man that she had seen before, though his face was now murky in her memory. The growl sounded again and she slipped into a crouch without being conscious of it.

'I mean thee nought harm, Isabella,' he said raising his hand and looking his golden eyes with hers.

Isabella scoffed slightly, glaring at him, thinking of the pain she had been burning in for the last, well, she wasn't really sure.

'What dost thee require?' she snapped before clapping a hand to her own throat in shock.

She didn't sound like her anymore; her voice sounding like a symphony, a ringing of bells, musical and beautiful beyond imagination.

'Many things,' he waved a hand in a discarding way, 'but from thou? I want thou to listen to me and then thou can say something snarky and dismissive and be on your way but please listen.'

Noticing how she was standing, Isabella stood up straight though she still glared at him – how dare he act as though he knew her?

'What?'

He smiled, 'I take it thou knows what thou is now? With a father like thy's I would be surprised if thou hadn't figured it out.'

She cringed very lightly at the mention on her father. However, there was only one thing mythical (for what else could what happening at this specific moment be) that her father had ever been involved in – or at the very least, involved enough in that someone would expect her to connect it to him.

'Va-vampire,' she stuttered over the word not wanting to believe that that was what she now was: a monster.

'Correct,' he said patronisingly. 'Would thou like to hunt or have me explain first? I can imagine thy throat is burning.'

It was fine until he mentioned it but then she felt fire flare up in her throat and tried to swallow against it, though it made no difference.

'No!' Isabella exclaimed backing away from him ever so slightly. 'There has to be another way.'

'Pardon?' the man asked, frowning at her in surprise.

'I shall not kill humans to eat!' she yelled as though the very idea that she would was both ridiculous and an insult. 'I will not make anyone feel the pain I have felt too often in my life, not make people suffer the loss, and, if there is nought way, I would rather die myself than inflict that misery.'

He nodded impressed, entwining his fingers together over his knees where he sat in the chair.

'It's fine,' he assured her, pushing himself up and placing his hands on Isabella's shoulders not showing any change when she ripped them away from him. 'I completely agree; I hunt animals.'

'Animals?' she questioned warily, allowing herself to be drawn back in. 'That works?'

'It contains blood does it not?' he asked rhetorically. 'It's not nearly as nice but it does saturate the thirst. I slip up a lot that's why when I changed thou they were amber. Now' – he changed tones and points quickly – 'shall we hunt?'

'Fine,' she agreed feeling a bit happier about the whole thing since she was causing no innocent the agonising pain of losing a loved one.

She really wanted to hate this man but something about him made her want to trust him because he was so open, so friendly, and he wasn't a murderous raging lunatic but everything she found herself trying to allow herself to trust him, Callen's and Theresa's faces popped up in front of her mind's eye and a wave of anger washed over her. She grudgingly followed him out of the house, that he must have carried her too, and into a forest (they were a long way from London something that frightened Isabella slightly since she had never left the city).

He led her into the forest for a while at a such high speed that Isabella was amazed and exhilarated at, having never done much running being both a female and clumsy there was always a danger of injuring herself something she really hoped the twins hadn't inherited – she stopped the thought of them straight away, already feeling an ache in her heart. The trees and bushes and flowers whipped past at an alarming rate but Isabella found that she didn't have to concentrate at all on running as though it was second nature to her to dodge the trees and jump over fallen logs and holes.

'Alright,' the man said and it was beginning to irritate Isabella that she didn't yet know his name as they stopped. Isabella could see nothing special about the surrounding area but obviously her creator did. 'Close thy eyes.'

Isabella shot him a scathing look but she shut her eyes none the less.

'Now, what dost thou smell?' he asked as a gust of wind blew over them.

"Everything," was the only response Isabella could think off as she breathed deeply inwards.

Though she answered she continued searching: she could smell a woody and grass-like smell of the trees and moss, hear the trickle of water somewhere not far that smelt odd. The scent of what she assumed were small animals such as squirrels and rabbits which seemed to smell completely unappetising and, reaching even further, the warm and lush smell that, though still bad, seemed nicer than anything Isabella had smelt so far but she still wrinkled her nose.

'Thou shall get used to the smell, I promise,' the other vampire chuckled, 'but canst thou smell that warmer scent? That is a meat-eater, better tasting than herbivores though not nearly as good as humans. Thou can almost taste it, canst thou?'

Another gust of air blew past from the same direction and Isabella noticed he was right: she could taste the scent there wasn't an "almost" about it.

A while later they finished hunting and Isabella looked down at her dress awkwardly since it was now covered in blood in ripped so much it was highly improper to be worn at all. Nathan, who she had finally found out was her creator, chuckled lightly and took off his coat, which Isabella just realised he was wearing, that was still in perfect condition as was his shirt and trousers. She scowled as he draped his coat around her shoulders.

'It takes some practice,' he told her, placing a hand on the small of her back as he turned her around and began walking.

'I noticed,' she muttered under her breathe before saying a bit louder, 'so what is so desperate that thou had to tell me?'(Nathan didn't say a word and that ticked off Isabella's last nerve causing her to snap). 'Thou knowst what, never mind, I don't even want to know because I am done being civil with thou. How could thou take me away from my children! I've already lost mine husband, and mine sister-in-law and mine parents, wasn't that enough? Now, I hath to live for eternity without them! I hate thou. I hate thou! I canst never see my children again … they hath to grow up with parents and I know how horrible it is to grow up without one, let alone both. So thank thou so much for the hunting lesson and the knowledge that I don't hath to be a murderer but I cannot stay here another second! Goodbye.'

Leaving Nathan with his mouth hanging open, Isabella turned and sprinted at full speed away from him in the opposite direction that he was leading them in though she had no idea where she was going or what she was going to do. She couldn't go home, she knew that painfully well, it would be far too dangerous and far too likely to end in disaster.

She stopped after running for what must have been an hour and collapsed on a rock discovering a new thing about vampires that she hadn't yet been told: vampires couldn't cry properly.


	24. Suddenly Gone

Chapter 21 – Suddenly Gone

"**Did you ever wonder what it would be like if you weren't you anymore? If you were suddenly gone, how would your world react? Whatever you imagined is wrong." – Samantha Walker (Ashley Rickards), One Tree Hill**

Watching your own funeral was the strangest thing in the world, Isabella thought from where she was perched high up a tree in her family's graveyard, far enough away to not be seen but close enough that she could see what was going on. The distance, she had discovered, didn't matter because she found she could hear exceptionally well now but even at this distance her throat burned.

She had hunted relentlessly just that morning but the burn in her throat was so overpowering that she actually broke the tree slightly holding onto it so tightly. It hurt so much and her family and friends smelt so good that it was so tempting to just go and saturate the agonising burning but she managed to hold herself together. These were people she knew, people who loved her enough to come to her funeral, people who, just like her, had friends and family. With those thoughts in her head it was easy to hold herself in the tree away from them.

The funeral had been going on for a while but Isabella eyes were mainly focused on her in-laws rather than her friends and mother's side of the family. Gavin and Hayley both had one of the twins, Theresa with Hayley and Callen with Gavin, just seeing them made Isabella want to cry though Hayley was doing enough of that for the both the both of them, wailing in agony with her husband's arm around her shoulder so Callen was balanced in his other arm. Isabella was sure that they would raise the twins' right, they had done it once and created the two of the most important people in Isabella's life; the twins were in good hands but Isabella ached at the thought that she would never be a part of their lives again. Never see Callen grin at her with his father's cheeky grin, never get Theresa ready for her first dance, never watch Callen take over the church because eventually, due to his Cullen blood, he would have to, never watch Theresa walk down the aisle or see Callen waiting for his own love at the end of it: it wasn't fair, hadn't she suffered enough?

Snapping out of her thoughts, Isabella realised that everyone was dispersing leaving Gavin, Hayley and the twins alone by the new grave which Isabella was flattered to see was surround by flowers uncountable. Eventually, they too left and Isabella jumped down from her perch after checking that no one was lingering around or visiting other people, landing lightly on her feet. Almost unwilling she walked towards where her grave was next to her fathers and wondered what he'd think of what she had become.

'Sorry if I let thou down, Papa,' she whispered, placing a kiss to his headstone before glancing at her own and smiling at what Hayley had chosen to write on there.

_Isabella Marissa Cullen-Carmichael_

_An angel sent to the world to take care of everyone else. She has returned to heaven as all angels must._

_~September 1681 - ~March 1699_

_Beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend_

Hayley had said that to her once when she was taking care of her while she was sick and sometimes Alec called her his angel at times, stating that Isabella was above him and belonged only in the sky with the other angels.

Though many other memories were blurry, Isabella clung to the ones that meant the most to her: the ones of her father, of Alec and Jane, of the twins, of the most important memories of her mother and Hayley, the few good moments that showed Gavin did actually care for her and like her and was glad that she had been with her son. She hoped that if she clung to them enough she would be able to remember them forever but she did notice that, the more she tried to remember them, the clearer the memories became. Seeing Hayley and Gavin with the twins made memories of them clearer for reason's Isabella could only guess at and she wished she could do the same for Alec, Jane and her father but she knew seeing them would mean she would never be able to let them go.

Knowing it was dangerous to stay in London, she pressed a kiss to her families graves fighting against vampire crying and turned away to leave. She had no idea what she was going to do with herself now.


	25. Meaningful Days

Chapter 22 – Meaningful Days

"**Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day." - ****Dalai Lama **

England had colonised America a few decades ago and Isabella decided that this might be a good place to go, somewhere new after running around for the last two months. She had started exactly parallel from England and noticed that as she worked her way down the country that she had to work harder and harder to avoid the sun: necessary, she discovered, because last time she stepped in the sun she sparkled like her skin was embedded with a thousand small diamonds, luckily no one had been around at that point and she quickly ducked back into the shade.

She was now in Florida and it was pouring it down with rain something she had learned didn't happen a lot in the area but she couldn't find it with herself to leave the area. Along the east coast was a sea and Isabella was entranced by it. She had finally found the colour that matched Alec's eyes; she had something to compare them too. The sea surrounding Florida was almost the exact same shade. A painful jab went through her at the thought of her husband and children, her daughter to whom he had passed those eyes along to.

'It's not a good idea to be a vampire in Florida,' a voice called from behind her and she cursed that fact that the wind was blowing downwind, the opposite way than would be helpful.

She turned slowly and met red eyes which caused her own salmon ones to widen as she met her first human drinking vampire. His eyes widened as well, no doubt shocked by the colour of her eyes.

'Look who's talking,' Isabella replied hauntingly

'Ah come on,' he complained as she turned back around and she was surprised by the playful tone in his voice. 'I haven't spoken to anyone for centuries and believe it or not vampires canst get lonely every once in a while.'

'Oh, I believe that,' Isabella sighed heavily, spinning away from him, and he took that as a queue that he could come closer without getting attacked.

'Thou is on my territory,' he told her leaving his back against the railing she was leaning her arms on top of as she stared out into the sea. 'Haven't thou been told to try and avoid that?'

'I don't think I'm going to mess up thy hunting,' Isabella turned her head to face him coldly. 'I don't hunt humans.'

'Really!' the man said, interest and desperation creeping into his tone. 'Is there a way to survive with drinking humans?'

He grabbed her hands and held onto them desperately but Isabella pulled them back looking at him warily. After deciding that the only thing he could do with the information was use it to stop killing humans did she answer him.

'Yes.' she replied, pushing herself up to sit in the railing. 'I hunt animals.'

'Hence the strange coloured eyes,' he muttered staring at her in wonder. 'Where did thou learn that?'

'My creator was the same,' Isabella shrugged now sound marginally angry.

'I'm Logan, by the way.'

Isabella grinned again though trusting him was difficult, 'Isabella.'


	26. Try, Try and Try Again

Chapter 23 - Try, Try and Try Again

**Try, try and try again, eventually you'll succeed, it just takes practice.**

After a while Isabella began to trust Logan though she still wary of him at times. He had decided to come with her when she had finally torn herself away from the sea that reminded her so much of her family. She had taught him about living on animals and stopped him when he was close to slipping up, he had been amazed to find out that she was only 6 months into being a vampire (and therefore still a newborn) and yet he said she had more control than anyone he had ever met. He in return then taught her about the vampire world: of the rules and that a family of vampires enforced them, of some histories like the immortal children and the terminology used by most vampires,

She felt drawn to Logan, not like she had Alec, but in a friendly way though she had to admit he was very handsome with dark black hair, vampire pale skin and beauty with his eyes turning a salmon colour as he kept to the diet he and Isabella used.

Logan was incredibly grateful towards Isabella for taking him away from being a murderer - he wouldn't have done it at all if he had believed there was another way. He knew that she didn't trust him completely even four months later, he knew nothing of her pasts but he respected that because, honestly, he guessed it wasn't good and he didn't want to her about the pain that this woman he had come to love almost like a sister had suffered when she was human.

They were living in New York now and while Logon stayed in the house most of the day, trying to gain control of this diet, Isabella went out. To begin with it was mainly for clothes which neither of them had enough of to pass of civilized human beings and food so they didn't raise suspicion though it was unlikely anyone would notice. Now, though she went out to get money, he had some money but it wouldn't last very long since living this lifestyle they need to buy things. It was difficult for her to get money since women weren't meant to work but she got jobs as cleaners and singers and musicians or whatever other job she could get.

She had even gotten them fake IDs, changing their names slightly since she was meant to be dead only recently. She took on the name Belle and changed his to Brandon, he kept his human surname of Baker and she took it on as well using the cover story that they were brother and sister. He was once again amazed that she was so good at the vampire life even though she was a newborn who was meant to be controlled by thirst but she was more occupied with keeping their nature a secret and protecting human lives.

'Well?' Isabella asked walking in the door. 'Come on, thou shall not be confident if thou doesn't be around them. Come to the market with me, Logan.'

Inside the house, they used their real names but outside they were the alias. Logon looked up at her warily but the brilliant, confident smile she had on her face made him actually consider it.

'It helps if thou thinks of them as people not food,' she told him perching on a piece of furniture. 'They hath siblings and parents, friends and lovers, they hath lives which they would never get to live if thou killed them. Remember, thou used to be human, thou used to be one of them.'

'I'll try,' he told her and she beamed knowing that meant he would come.

'It'll be fine, trust me,' she had heard the nervous tone

'I do trust thou, it's me I don't.'

Despite those words of fear, Isabella threw him his coat and pulled him out of the front door to their little house. She linked her arm with his as they walked towards the market, noting his tense shoulders every time a human walked too close and wondering if maybe she was pushing him too soon.

They were fine until a small child slipped over a puddle from the rain the night before, sliding past them. Isabella, from the amount of times she had fallen over, knew that the fall would result in blood. She couldn't see the future but she didn't need to so she clasped around hands tighter around Logan's arm and began pulling him away though part of her was aching to go and help the child. She saw it happen before it did, Logan pulled out of her grasp with one swift movement, his frenzy for blood making him stronger than her waning newborn strength. She reached after him but it was too late: she heard his teeth break through the child's neck, the cries cut off and the windpipe was crushed. Knowing she could either risk getting killed by trying to pull him away from the child who could only be around five and thus creating an immortal child, killing both of them, or let him drain the poor helpless child who had done nothing wrong but be a bit clumsy on the wet ground, she hesitated. The child would die either way, the family hurt, but her choice was made from her. The smell of blood was fading, the small body not containing much and Logon was pulling back.

He was still in the hunting state; his eyes pitch black with the desire for more blood. Before he could even move, Isabella pounced on him, glad that no one was on the street. He growled and struggled against her but she held on pulling him back in the direction of the house, the child grasped under her arm: something she felt sick about and she knew Logan would feel awfully once he was back in his right state of mind.

She pulled him into the nearby forest and placed the child down.

'Logan, Logan, look at me, look at me,' she grasped his face in her hands, difficult as he was still struggling to go find some other victim. 'Stop, stop, prithee.'

His eyes focused and he pulled against her again. She let him this time due to the sorrowful look that was seeping into his eyes and on his face. He was back in his right mind.

'I'm going to go deal with the child,' Isabella told him and, though she knew the child's name "Whitney," she didn't use it, knowing that would make Logan worse. He would beat himself up enough as it was.

When she returned he was sitting where she had left him with his head in his hands. She sighed.

'I'm so sorry, Logan,' she said sitting down beside him with a heavy breath. 'I shouldn't hath made thou come. I'm sorry'

'Don't blame thyself because I'm not strong enough, Izzy,' he moaned at her. 'This is my fault and my fault alone.'

'Don't let this get thou down, Logan,' she tried to encourage him, knowing that arguing him wasn't the best idea and she rested her head on his shoulder. 'Thou was doing so well until the child slipped. Thou was walking through crowds of humans, that takes a lot of strength, thou can do, Logan, I believe in thou so just keep thy moral up and believe in thyself. It hath only been four months.'

'Thou hath too much faith,' Logan muttered angrily though Isabella knew it wasn't at her.

'Pastor's daughter, what dost thou expect?' she replied teasingly.

Logan froze staring at her, knocked out of his self-hatred for a second: this was the first bit of information she had told him about her human life and he grinned at her: she was beginning to trust him.


	27. True Love

Chapter 24 – True Love

"**Everybody deserves true love.' – The King, Cinderella**

50 years had passed and Logan had kept to their diet to the T since his accident with Whitney. It seemed as though the fact that he had killed a child affected him more than all the deaths he had caused before they had met. He had moped for weeks following that event and they moved again when they deemed it safe, once again changing their names. Isabella, however, was amazingly proud of him even if he wasn't of himself.

'I'm going to go work,' he told her and she grinned as he pecked her cheek lightly.

He was becoming everything she imagined an elder brother would be: a wise, protective person, who was fun and teasing. She really was coming to love him and she had finally told him everything of her past.

He disappeared out the door after she said goodbye and she turned back to her book: with him working, she had so much more free time and was going back to the routine she had in London with Alec before his death. She and Logan did what was expected of them more than Isabella did when she was human simply because she didn't want to call attention to herself.

Logan was gone barely ten minutes before a noise in the upstairs area of the house startled Isabella. She sniffed the air and a smoky, sweet smell reached her nose along with the scent she had now realised meant vampire. The stairs creaked and she placed her book on the table, slipping into a low crouch in front of her chair - its back was toward the stairs. She surprised when a short girl with curly dark brown hair cut to her chin entered the room, she had wide red eyes which darted nervously around the room.

'Prithee,' she said warily as Isabella moved to pin her to a floor. 'I'm Andie well Andrea. I mean thou no harm, I just … I heard about thou and I want to try the diet.'

Isabella rose slowly, still extremely wary. She and Logan had met few vampires but none of them had been very accepting of their diet choice, one even going as far as to attack them.

'I'm Isabella,' Isabella said still keeping her distance. 'Why the window?'

'It's a pleasure to meet thou, Isabella, and … it was far more fun,' Andie shrugged and Isabella found herself unwillingly liking her. 'Sorry if I frightened thou.'

'It's fine,' Isabella replied though she kind of wished Logan was here to help her make the decision. 'Look, I would love to teach thou but, maybe if thou could just hang around for the day until …'

'… until thy husband gets back?' Andie tried to finish for her and Isabella flinched from the word "husband" for hers was never coming back.

'No, Logan's not my husband!' Isabella felt fairly sick at the thought. 'He's just someone I met and we use the cover story that he's my older brother.'

'Here he comes,' Isabella said, picking out Logan's footsteps and scent from those others wondering past the house. Andie flittered, almost literally, into the lounge to stand by Isabella's side.

Logan had obviously smelt Andie's scent as well because he walked into the lounge slowly, his eyes flickering around as though worried. His face relaxed slightly as his eyes gazed over Isabella's face noting how calm she was. He froze, however, as he noticed Andie.

'Logan, this is Andie,' Isabella said. 'She wants to learn our diet. What dost thou think?'

Over the day, Isabella was sure Logan was say yes and completely fall for this girl and Isabella herself was starting to hope Andie would stay with them. She was bright and witty and exactly what Logan needed.

Logan, as she predicted, was staring at Andie with a look Isabella would know anywhere. The look Alec had given her at the ball: the curiosity and the beginnings of love without even knowing the person but know that they _had _too. He nodded and Isabella smirked, looking behind to see Andie ducking her head with an embarrassed smile on her face.

'Welcome to the family, Andie,' she smiled and then glanced between them. 'I'm going to give thou two a minute.'

Isabella was right about those two: Logan married Andie within four months in a tiny ceremony with only the two of them with Isabella performing the surface because being the daughter of a pastor she could. She remembered the words exactly from her own wedding and those she had been to. The two hadn't gone on a long honeymoon, to Isabella's surprise, just a few days before they returned to the house.

Andie didn't take the diet easily, though both Isabella and Logan knew she was trying her best. She slipped up a lot more than Logan but was just as bad as him for beating herself up after it. However, she kept going with the encouragement from both her companions who both had complete faith that she would succeed eventually.

On the other hand, though Isabella was happy with the two people she travelled with, she could barely stand to be around them.


	28. Goodbye and Farewell

Chapter 25 – Goodbye and Farewell

"**Goodbyes may seem like forever but sometimes when someone says goodbye they only mean farewell." - Unknown**

Isabella paced the house as she waited for Logan to come back; Andie was sitting in a chair watching her nervously.

'Seriously, Isabella, just tell me what's worrying thou?' Andie complained.

'No, we have to wait for Logan,' Isabella said firmly and since Andie listened to her most of the time, she said no more.

Isabella didn't want to repeat this more than once so, though she felt bad, she was going to make Andie wait the five minutes before Logan got back from work.

Patience, however, wasn't something Andie, like Alec, was good at - Isabella scolded herself for the comparison; she had to stop it - so as soon as they heard Logan's footsteps she jumped up and ran out to meet him. They didn't kiss like they usually did but Isabella heard Logan exclamation of shock and the sound of speeding footsteps and knew that Andie had grabbed his arm and just pulled him inside - Isabella prayed they at least did it at human speed.

'Izzy, what's wrong?' Logan asked as soon as they entered back into her view and he got a good look at his sister's face.

'I … I need to go,' she answered him awkwardly and she could see he was about to ask why but she couldn't tell him the truth. 'I want to go, thou are going to be fine. Thou doesn't need me anymore, Logan.'

They both stared at her for what felt like hours and Isabella shrugged at them, shaking her head, 'please don't argue with me.'

Andie was the first to speak.

'Izzy, please stay, I don't want thou to leave, thou's my sister.'

Feeling bad Isabella shook her head. She couldn't stay there anymore, she put on a brave face for Logan but the romantic actions between the two of them pulled painfully on her heart. Neither Andie or Logan needed her to help with the animal diet anymore, they were fine, they could do it by themselves and they had each other. Besides, as much as Isabella loved them both, she couldn't be around the romantic love anymore. It was just too painful.

'Izzy,' it was all Logan said but Isabella could hear the pain in his voice just in her name.

'Logan, please, just let me go.'

Logan sighed as he debated it. Isabella was stubborn but she was a terrible liar, he knew she wasn't telling the truth about why she wanted to leave but he also knew better than to try and get it out of her. He also knew that when she set her mind to something there was no point trying to stop her but he loved her and the idea of her not being was him and Andie hurt him. She had saved him from himself and he could never thank her more for being entranced by the colour of her husband's eyes in Florida.

'I love thou, Izzy,' he told her and felt a pang of hurt when her face burst into a wide, grateful smile but her happiness wiped it away, he would do anything to make the two women in that room happy. 'Be careful, okay. Thank thou so much.'

'I love thou too, Logan,' Isabella told him, her smile turning tearful. 'I'm going to miss thou. Thou too, Andie, thou is amazing but thou two are going to be fine on thy own.

'Goodbye, I'm sure we'll see each other again.'

'We better,' Andie told her, speeding to her side at vampire speed and hugging her.

Logan waiting until his wife had moved and spun Isabella round in a circle, 'promise me thy will be careful.'

'I promise,' Isabella kissed his cheek and, after blowing Andie a final kiss, gabbed a backpack that she had packed earlier of her most valuable possessions and disappeared.


	29. Led by Dreams

Chapter 26 – Led by Dreams

"**Don't be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams." - Ralph Waldo Emerson**

Isabella stopped in front of the church that had once been her safe-haven and gaped at the state of it. It was a bigger mess that it had been when she had last seen it but, she supposed, that had been at the end of the 1600's while it was now 20 years into the 1800s It looked as though it had barely been touched over all the time but she had promised herself when she was human that she would fix the place up and she would finally get around to doing it. No one in London would know her now, it was completely safe; she could make up some story about being the distant relative of the family that used to own it (her own) and no one would wonder, hopefully.

It was sad watching to young children running around the house that used to be her own, that used to be hers and Alec's, but taking a deep breath and telling herself she was stronger than she used to be, she set her shoulders and walked toward the church. It was boarded up and the wood was rotting. She spun on her heel heading towards the place she knew would give her permission to fix the church up.

Convincing the person in charge was easy enough, using her mother's maiden name to state the relation, she simply had to charm him into it. The person in charge was a man and a stereotypical one at that, she heard his heart speed up the second she entered his office.

_'Thou must be Miss Isabelle Silvertongue,' he stood and bowed to her, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to it. 'I hear thy is interested in the Cullen church.'_

_A shook went through her while she curtsied to know that people still referred to it as Cullen since it hadn't been Cullen since her grandfather died it went to Silvertongue/Cullen and then to Carmichael. _

_'It's a pleasure to make thy acquaintance,' Isabella smiled her most beautiful smile, the one she found could get her almost anything, and tried not to let it falter as the man's heart stuttered slightly. 'And, yes, I am. I understand that it went to my family after Christopher Cullen died before going to the Carmichaels, is that what the records say?'_

_'Please, take a seat, my dear lady,' he ushered her to the one on the other side of the desk from where he had been sat. He then went over to another desk and she assumed he was trying to find out if her information was correct. He sat back down. 'That's right, an Isabella Cullen-Carmichael inherited it from her paternal family of the Cullens but after that it was never used again.'_

_A sharp knock went through Isabella and her curious gaze feel to her lap, 'Forgive me, but my research of history that side suggests she had children - did one of them not take over the church after her death?'_

_It was weird referring to herself in third person and talking in such a vague way trying to imagine how much information she should know. However, she could barely focus on that as she wondered how Callen couldn't have inherited the church responsibilities and if he had taken over Gavin's business why Theresa hadn't done it instead with him helping._

_'Thy is very educated in thy history,' the man's eyes brows rose and Isabella flashed her smile again._

_'My family has strong believers in heritage,' she told him sweetly. 'I came to see the church and … it's in such a state of disrepair. So what happened to Isabella's children?'_

_'Yes, well,' he cleared his throat awkwardly and Isabella stared at him imploringly. 'They died before either was old enough to take over.'_

_Before she could sink in her shock and sadness which she could feel taking over her, Isabella quickly got to the point putting her fake smile back on, feeling her reaction lapping at her heart._

_'So the church,' she said, looking up at him through her eye lashes, 'would it be too much trouble to let me repair it? I'll be no trouble at all, I promise.'_

_'Well,' he seemed apprehensive._

_'I know I'm bias,' she shrugged, 'but it's such a beautiful building and it seems such a shame to let history fall to the ground.' (He still hesitated and Isabella lent forward, staring into his eyes and waiting until his heart sped up)'Please.'_

_He hesitated for only half a beat longer still trapped in her burning golden eyes, she knew it was mean to tease him in such away but she had to get that church back._

_'Very well, Miss Silvertongue,' he said clearly eager to please her. 'I shall make it happen. If thou could come back tomorrow?'_

That was all it took to convince him to let her have control over the restoration of the church though the happiness for that had to wait for the soul crushing pain that she was suffering on the information of her two darling twins. She had gone straight back to the church and into the graveyard. She found that she felt as though she could work quicker than she thought she would, forcing the new information to the back of her mind and squaring her shoulders. She had known they were already dead and it was still hard to hear so impersonally but she had a job to do.

Repairing the church to its former glory took several years, longer than Isabella expected but she couldn't easily work in the sun of August, and she was extremely proud of her work. With the stain glass windows replaced so you could actually tell what they were without already having to know, the most rotted beams replaced and the engraving's marked back in them, the pew's polished and everything cleaned, which was a nice past activity which used to be her contribution to the church when her grandfather ran it. She had even gotten interest from a little village's priest second youngest to run it and Isabella agreed readily because as much as she'd like to stay and make sure it kept well, it wasn't possible since she had stopped aging.


	30. The Purpose of Life

Chapter 27 – The Purpose of Life

"**The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well." - Ralph Waldo Emerson**

Still in England thirty-one years later (though she had been in France for a while) Isabella had finally found what she wanted to do with herself. Perhaps, she should have known it all along but, seeing people die of things that she knew there were medicines against if they could just afford them as she stayed the same, had cemented it her mind. She wanted to help people, she wanted to do something that she knew the person she helped would be worse of if she hadn't, she wanted save people, she wanted to be a doctor. Of course, that wasn't possible, men were doctors and women were nurses so if that was the closest she could come to her dream at the moment (she knew eventually she would be able to seeing how much the times had changed) and she knew they did amazing work. So to reach her dream and to help those fighting for the country of her youth she enrolled in the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps, which served the nursing and medical needs of the British army, their allies, prisoners of war and local civilians since 1854, 11 years ago.

It was difficult the amount she had to juggle and know but she found herself enjoying every day because even when she lost, there was always a reason to smile whether the people she was working with, or some solider she'd met, or a life she had saved. The feeling she got when she did win, that was the most amazing thing that she couldn't possibly explain or compare to anything else, the feeling that she finally had a purpose in her vampiric existence.

It had been thirty-eight years since she left her father's Church in England and 65 since she had left Logan and Andie and she had meant a dozen vampires, all of which thought her crazy, she stayed with some for a few years and now had many traditional nomadic vampire friends. They may not have shared her diet but they were nowhere near bad people.

Isabella sighed as she removed her nursing outfit after her final shift for the QARANC; she was incredible proud of herself, going from a staff nurse to a matron-in-chief in just six years but it was depressing for her that she now had to leave. People were already talking about how young she looked for the age she was claiming, she had to move or risk suspicion and that would mean death by the Volturi - she had made it a personal mission to never meet them after everything Logan told her.


	31. Excellence is Not a Skill

Chapter 28 - Excellence is Not a Skill

"**Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude." - Ralph Marston**

Isabella was practically bouncing with excitement as she walked through the large carved doors of the university that had finally opened to women. She had no idea what to expect but she didn't mind because she would finally get to study what she loved: medicine. She would actually after a few years of study be eligible to do the job she loved more than anything.

She wrapped her arms tighter around her books, careful not to break them, and entered the room for her first class. It reminder of a bit of a theatre, there where the floor was practically steps and there was a row of chairs on each row and a desk. The room was nearly full and primarily of men expect one woman who stood against the wall looking petrified. Isabella felt her heart go out to the human girl and made her way over.

'Come on,' she smiled sweetly. 'Let's go get a seat; I expect the professor will be here soon.'

In fact she could hear his footsteps coming closer to the classroom. The girl she was speaking to looked over at her and simple stared for a few seconds, that was the normal reaction to vampires, before nodding, seeming unable to talk. Isabella wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her over to two seats. She wasn't trying to make friends, vampires didn't make friends with humans (it was stupid and dangerous): she was only trying to make the woman more comfortable which probably wasn't working considering the rate of the woman's heartbeat.

The teacher strode in as soon as they sat down. His eyes scanned the classroom pausing for minute of Isabella and the other woman.

'Well, I see this class is still predominately male but it's nice to see at least two females,' he remarked and looking into his eyes Isabella wasn't sure he really meant it.

He didn't say anymore, just dumped his bag on his desk and turned to the blackboard, grabbing a piece of chalk out of a draw as he did so.

"Medicine,' he said, writing it in large letters and with that Isabella's first university class began.


	32. Blood Runs Red

Chapter 29 – Blood Runs Red

"**All Blood Runs Red." – Unknown**

Thirty-five years later, Isabella had been a doctor at so many different places and she was extremely proud of herself: she was never tempted by the human blood, when working she became highly esteemed by her peers really quickly and she constantly felt like she was making a difference. She wasn't working in a hospital now because a war had broken out and, since England was involved, she returned because, no matter how many different places she went to, London and England would always been where her heart lied, it was home.

"Fletcher!" a panic voice rang out, using her chosen surname of this lifetime. "We've got no room!"

Tucking a strand of blonde hair into her bun, Isabella rushed forward and round the corner to see a young man with a bullet wound in his arm and it was clear he had already lost too much blood. She glanced around at the beds in the bunker where the kept the hospital and a quick sweep told her that whoever had yelled was right - there were no more beds.

"Bring him this way," she ordered, rushing back onto her quarters.

They followed slower so, once out of sight, Isabella moved a vampire speed, preparing her own bed with white sheets that would allow them to work in there.

"Ma'am, are you sure?" the soldier who was holding his comrade up asked but Isabella just gave him a stern look, gesturing for him to lay the other man on the bed. As he did that Isabella disappeared to get some equipment and once she had returned the unwounded soldier had been sent back out.

Alone in her quarters with a wounded man, Isabella set to work talking softly to the man to try and keep him awake.

Unfortunately despite Isabella's best efforts that man died from blood loss within a few minutes and, feeling sick, she had someone remove him. That had been 21 years ago and now she was Charlotte Wilson. Another war had broken out and this time Isabella didn't work with the soldiers this time since bombing was taking place in London, she spent most evenings in an underground station, taking care of those who had gotten injured.

The siren suddenly went off and Isabella leapt to her feet, shuffling the children (she also looked after some women's children while they went to work) that were around her feet down in the station. Vampire or not, she felt a wave of fear overcome her as the wailing of the alarm continued; she could hear human heartbeats racing with adrenaline as they tried to get to safety. Looking around she could see lights flickering off and eventually the city of her childhood was in darkness, hearts of the residents beating so fast that she couldn't help but think that some vampire must love this war: it made such easy pickings.

It has hard seeing the city of her childhood bombed and burnt to rubble. Every morning after the bombings she walked the city with several children that had yet to be shipped to the country to return them home. It was always heart-breaking when "home" for these children were no longer there and all that was left of it, if anything, was a pile of rubble and furniture. Sometimes, on the slightly relieving occasions, you would find the parents calling for her, Charlotte, and their children hoping to god they were just about to walk round the corner; however, there were the other times when the tables would turn and the children would be the ones running around the rubble yelling for their parents. With a single smell of the air, Isabella could tell whether the parents were there or not but 8/10 times they never were and she'd have to take the children to the office to be registered as orphaned or missing or, on the happiest occasion, found because the parents had been checked into the hospital.

It was often the Isabella would walk past her family's church, once she had dropped all the children off where they needed to be and even though it wasn't on her way home, just to see if it was still standing there intact. When this happened, she always wondered how the Carmichael house was. By this point in time, it had been abandoned by the people who lived there because of a huge bomb that was dropped nearby. It had caused complete devastation to the house surrounding the bomb but that devastation had stopped just next door to the house Alec and Jane had grown up in. However, by the end on the war, that house would be gone.


	33. Keep Digging

Chapter 30 – Keep Digging

"**The thing about a hero, is even when it doesn't look like there's light at the end of the tunnel, he'll keep digging, he's going to keep going to do what's right and make up for what's gone before, just because that's who he is." – Joss Whedon**

Another 56 years have passed and still Isabella had not returned to see Andie and Logan despite the fact she knew exactly where they were - South America, exploring Brazil to be exact - she just couldn't bring herself to see them. What would she say? Should she just walk up and hug them like nothing had changed despite that fact that it had changed? She was no longer the lost little girl Logan found in Florida 302 years ago now nor was she the same woman who had left with a lie 201 years ago. She was someone new now, someone Logan wouldn't know and perhaps wouldn't recognise. She loved him as much as she did Jane but she wondered if he would love this new her as much as he did the old one. She wasn't willing to find out in case the answer was "no".

She heard the plane's engines before anything else and thought nothing of it. That was until the familiar sounds started up of buildings collapsing and people screaming. Her mind naturally started imitating the noises that London had played when a bombing would occur.

She rushed up to the roof feeling sick to her stone core and froze as soon as she excited the building onto the flat roof. Already the wind smelt of blood and fire, it blew small bits of debris and ash. It hit her bare shoulders but, despite the light burning it caused, Isabella couldn't move. She just stared, horrified, at the twin towers until her senses came back to her a little. Vampires, it seemed, could go into shock.

She backed away almost in a trance feeling as though she wanted to cry, she could hear the screaming still with her vampire hearing and the panicked sound was driving her crazy with sickness and a need to do something. She somehow managed to make her way to the hospital where she worked to find it flooded with running doctors, nurses and people already wondering if their family members were there. The waiting room was full and Isabella could see a few people being wheeled in.

"Dr Cullen! Thank heavens you're here! I was about to send someone for you," the Chief of Medicine shoved a coat into her hands which she pulled on immediately and followed his speedy pace down the corridor.

Isabella didn't go home that night, or the next or even the night after. She worked non-stop trying to save as many people as she could but soon her eyes were back and all the doctors were saying that she needed to go home and rest before she accidently killed someone - as tired as she was, Isabella couldn't but find that amusing, it was like the knew what she was.

She did go home on that fourth night after hunting mercilessly and by orders didn't enter the hospital the next day. Instead, she went round houses of those who knew her and helped them with their minor, in comparisons with those at the hospitals, injuries. These were people whose injuries on normal circumstances would warrant a trip to the hospital but who didn't want to go and take up room from people who needed it more - it was times like these that Isabella's hope was restored in humanity a little, though she hated that something dreadful had to happen for it to show itself.

During the night, she watched as men trudged through the rumble to try and pull out personal items or, if they were really lucky, a survivor. Isabella felt as she watched them that these men were heroes because even as it drew darker and colder they still didn't stop, they turned on floodlights and head torches and just continued to search. The determination of their faces so powerful that Isabella actually felt her lips tilt slightly upward as she watched them from the window of one of her "patients" home.


	34. Truly Happy

Chapter 31 – Truly Happy

"**I'm ready to start over somewhere new, no family, limited friends, no relationship just me! That'll truly make me happy." – Unknown**

The place was nice: simple, small and ... wet. The first things she discovered about Forks, Washington was that the book shop was terrible and that, somehow, everyone knew she was coming. The first thing she did was pick up the keys to her adorably small house that was like something out of a fairy-tale with period features. She recognised it as a Victorian era style house.

She was using her maiden name this time since she had only used it once over the whole time she had been a vampire and had never used it with her real first name but this time she was using both, something just told her she should. She was starting a Forks High School the next day as a freshman, being sixteen meant she could pass as a mature looking fourteen-year-old and, if she stayed long enough, a young looking eighteen-year-old something she was pretty confident in since she had passed as a young doctor at many times.

The car park was empty when Isabella pulled up for school the next day, something she was glad about, even though she had started school a thousand times before she always hated the awkward first day when she had to flesh out her story.

It was raining, unsurprisingly, but that was good because Isabella knew it wouldn't be good to miss the first day of the new school which she would have to considering how she sparkled in the sun. She made her way to the office at human speed in case someone was looking out the window and entered a very green office. As if there wasn't enough greenery outside they needed to have plants growing from every available corner.

'Excuse me,' Isabella said sweetly approaching a curly haired woman, leaning over her desk and scribbling furiously, she felt bad for interrupting but she needed to. She bit her lip as the woman's heart sped up in surprise at Isabella's voice before she turned with a welcoming smile on her face. 'I'm Isabella Cullen.'

The woman's face lit up in recognition and Isabella cursed herself for not being able to get out of her old life sooner since she was now starting in the middle of October because if she had started in September like everyone else, she wouldn't be such a big thing because she would have been knew to the student body like everyone else.

'Of course, dear,' the woman gestured her closer. 'Let me just get your things.'

As always the first day at a new school was horrible though there was one thing different: the five vampires. Two of which were juniors, the other three seniors and all looked at her oddly as though they were wondering things about her that she couldn't understand. She debates going over and telling the coven that she meant to no harm to them but something about their gazes told her that they already knew that. However each of their gazes were different, the female blonde senior glared daggers at her every time their eyes met, the bronze haired one looked frustrated, the two dark haired ones, the male one who was a senior and the small female who was a junior along with the bronze haired boy, looked a little excited but the final blond male just looked pained and calculating. Isabella recognised the first look as the one Logan and Andie both wore on their faces often when they first attempted the vegetarian diet. She often wondered how those two were doing but still hadn't gone to find them to find the answer.

She flopped down on her bed as soon as she got home, knowing that it would be a few weeks until the whispers and stares slowed down. Trouble was, while she could deal with the stares, the whispers often made her feel slightly sick since some of the boys said things that she could have done without hearing, in her time it would have been a capital offence to speak about a woman in such a way but the times had changed and that was one of the bad ways. It was going to be a long few days, especially with having to do Gym which was irritating when you had to remember to go a human speed, but she had done it before - coming back to this age just reminder why a lot of the time she usually worked in a hospital despite the difficulties it presented.

It was becoming harder and harder for her to be a doctor as medical school got added and now the minimum age for being a doctor was a great deal higher. Usually she was lucky to get past being an intern before her looks became a problem.


	35. Thoughts and Expressions

Chapter 32 – Thoughts and Expressions

"**I haven't seen you in a while, yet I often imagine all your expressions. I haven't spoken to you recently, but many times I hear your thoughts." – Orson Welles**

After school the next day, Isabella decided to go and explore Forks a bit more and meet some of the locals but she had only wondered for about fifteen minutes at a slow human pace when she came across the smell of vampires. Isabella tensed slightly and turned to look down the path where the scent was stronger for the two new scents amongst reasonably familiar ones. The sight that met her eyes was not what she was expecting.

It was him; she knew it was even though he was facing the other way. The man she'd cried over and prayed for to return, the man she loved more than anything because he was her father, the man she was meant to trust above anyone else, the man who was meant to walk her down the aisle, the man who was meant to always be there for her. It was her father but she couldn't go to him, couldn't walk down the road and hug him like she knew she should. She couldn't because of the woman he had his arm draped around, the group of teenagers surrounding them, the vampires from the school who gave her strange looks that she kind of understood now, and the grin, the wide familiar grin, on his face. Perhaps she could go over there and see how it played out but it was quite clear that he had replaced her and she was not about to allow herself to get hurt again or to put him in the awkward position of telling her what she could already see: he was happy with a new family and he didn't need his daughter from his human marriage coming in and making everything complicated.

She heard her father laugh with his wife and he turned to press a kiss to her temple, playfully messing up the short black haired girl's hair. Isabella was trying to protect herself from being hurt but the scene hurt all the same. She began to turn as the woman beside her father turned around, no doubt smelling her as the wind blew her sent towards them.

'Are you alright, dear?' she asked sweetly and Isabella's eyes fluttered closed and she took a deep breathe.

Why did them woman have to be so nice? Dreading her father's expression, Isabella turned around slowly, knowing it would be completely rude to just walk away or speak with her back to them. The woman gasped as she did so.

'Fine, thank you,' Isabella replied as quickly as she could

The words were hastily spoken with a tense smile and Isabella spun as soon as they were said not looking at any of the vampires on the pathway. As she began to walk away, she heard someone take a step towards her but she kept walking.

'Isa?' her father's voice called after her and cringed realising he had recognised her, though it would have been impossible not to since she looked so much like him.

She pulled to a stop not being able to resist her father's voice which was still such a calming sound and turned slowly around again, keeping her eyes on the ground. No one said anything, tasting the tension settling in the air around them, obviously very few of his family had a clue what was going on. The sound of fabric rubbing against itself reached her ears but she didn't look up.

'Carlisle, stop, she'll run,' a panicked high voice called out and Isabella found herself associating it with the small girl.

The sound stopped and Isabella risked a look up, finding her father closer than he had been before, his wife smiled sweetly at her from where they had originally been with the short dark haired girl hovering at her side looking wary as Isabella had expected.

'Isa?' her father's voice said again and his voice was pleading this time as he put a hand out toward her, Isabella stared at it wondering what it symbolised and what it would mean if she took it. 'Please, trust me.'

_Trust_, the word struck a cord with Isabella and her gaze went up from his hand to his face, which she stared at for only a few seconds before spinning away from him and running. She was miles away when she finally stopped running and sat down on a large rock: once again, her fears over ruled everything, it was a protective instinct that she couldn't help.


	36. Good Enough Person

Chapter 33 – Good Enough Person

"**I'm a good enough person to forgive you, but I'm not stupid enough to trust you again." – Unknown**

She only returned to Forks the next morning, deciding that she couldn't miss the second day either, just in time to change her clothes and get to school on time. She knew she would either have to face her father or move before she broke herself but she would figure that out depending on what he did.

The school day passed too quickly for Isabella's likening and, to her surprise, none of her father's new family had confronted her - she wondered if her father had told them not to or if the little girl had seen something because Isabella was sure the short black haired girl could see some form of the future. After getting home, Isabella decided that she should go for food unless she wanted to raise suspicion so she grabbed her purse and began to walk - she was acting only fifteen.

However, when she got to the main food shop in the village, she saw a flash of caramel hair that was identical to the new Mrs Cullen's, and spun out of the shop.

'Isabella!' the woman called from right behind her. 'Please.'

Isabella tried to get away but her father's new wife grabbed her hand, she struggled slightly but the look in her step-mother's eyes made her stop and just glare at her slightly. She would have glared harder if she didn't seem so nice and motherly and desperate for her to stay.

'Please, dear, just come talk to your father,' the woman pleaded with her. 'He loves you.'

The final phrase caught in Isabella's throat. Love was something she hadn't heard in a long time in relation to her.

'Good for him,' Isabella whispered sounding slightly hoarse and the woman blanched slightly, obviously she wasn't expecting an attitude,' but I don't want to talk.'

She made another attempt to pull her hand free but to avail.

'Then just listen, please, dear,' her step-mother paused slightly. 'It's been two days and I know you're in shock and you're probably hurt but I can't stand seeing Carlisle like this.'

Isabella's gaze, which had been floating over her step-mothers head (she must have been only about two inches taller - the same height as Jane, Isabella cringed internally at the thought), jumped to her face in concern before she put a cold mask one.

'Like what?' Isabella replied in a fake scathing voice. 'I'm sure Papa's fine.'

She inwardly scolded herself as the "Papa" slipped out and her step-mother picked up on that.

'So he's still "Papa"?' she pointed out before using it against Isabella. 'Isn't that reason enough to just hear him out, he's hurting, sweetie, and only you can change that. Look, I know I don't you and you don't know me and you probably don't like me very much, and that's fine… I don't what you've been through, Isabella, I don't know your life and nor does your father so I can understand if you're finding it hard to trust us, to trust him again but you'll never know what might happen if don't at least try. I have heard that man talk about you, and the light in his eyes, the softness in his face, the smile on his lips, the fatherly tone of his voice when he does, that's not something you should give up easily because that man adores you more than anything in the world.'

'Really?' Isabella asked, her bad mask slipping to be replaced with the fear, hope and lack of belief she was feeling.

'I would never lie to my husband's little girl,' the woman smiled squeezing her hand and Isabella noticed dimples that reminded her of Hayley and found herself melting slightly at the sight of the motherly woman her father had married.

'Fine,' she said, feeling a spark of happiness go through her as her step-mothers face broke into a beaming smile. 'I'll listen to my father'

'He's not home at the moment,' her step-mother said as they walked into a beautiful white house, 'but he shouldn't be long, he should finish his shift at the hospital within half an hour.'

'Right,' Isabella said awkwardly, though inside she was relishing at the fact she had something more in common with her father besides his love of the written word and looks. 'This is a beautiful house.'

'Thank you, dear,' Isabella noticed her step-mother was very affectionate to her already and was particularly fond of the word "dear", though Isabella found it vaguely nice since she hadn't heard a term of endearment for years. 'I restored it just before moved in, I tried to soundproof the rooms as much possible but it doesn't really work.'

Isabella snorted, not needing to ask why having seen the model-like blonde and bear-like brunette in the lunch hall.

'Have you lived here long?' she found herself asking without really thinking about it, talking to her step-mother seemed so easy and natural.

'No, we moved her August last year,' she was told and Isabella smiled.

'I feel bad,' Isabella suddenly said, 'you know my name but I don't know yours.'

'It's Esme.'

'It's nice to meet you, Esme,' Isabella smiled, as natural as it was with her step-mother she didn't want to refer to her like that out loud, that would insinuate she trusted her and would be staying around for a while, neither of which Isabella knew to be a hundred percent either way.

Carlisle knew who his wife was talking to before he entered the house, could hear her voice (soft and appropriately belle-like, with a clear posh English accent) and smell her scent (roses with a hit of chocolate, which he found odd) but seeing her sitting on the couch with all the grace of a 17th century woman talking to Esme her English politeness still caused him to pause in shock: first because she was actually there, second because she was so beautiful and grown up and third because she just seemed to fit in perfectly, completing the scene he had wanted to see for so long – her and Esme sat together, chatting and laughing the day away.

Hi, Papa,' Isabella said turning to face the man she had run away from and standing up carefully at the same time as Esme, who flittered to the stairs.

''I'm going to go finish those blueprints,' she said as a way of an excuse to leave the father and daughter alone together.

'Blueprints?' Isabella asked, she hadn't realised that Esme did that for a living rather than just the house their family was going to live in.

'Esme restores old houses,' her father told her and her eyes darted back to him as an uncomfortable silence fell.

They both tried to rectify the situation at the same time, knowing that they would never have had _uncomfortable _silence in the old days.

'So…'

'Listen…'

They both smiled before Isabella spoke feeling already that this was a disaster, 'I promised Esme I'd listen, though I don't know why, so what do you want?'

Isabella was beginning to wonder why she had promised her step-mother that she would listen to her father because it wasn't turning out too well. Obviously, her way of phrasing her question wasn't the best she could have done.

'What do I want? What do I want?' he repeated incredulously as though she should already know that though his voice was as soft as always. 'Isa, I want my daughter back, I want to talk to her and I want to get know her again because this is honestly agonisingly painful. You are my daughter, Isa, and I _need_ to know you, I need you _here_.'

Isabella stared at him for a few minutes, debating when and whether she was going to run, before shrugging, 'well, I am here so…'

'But you're thinking of running, I can see it in your eyes,' he said staring straight at her, though she found his golden eyes less penetrating than the clear blue they had been when they were human and the effect was slightly lessoned since she was surprised her could tell that. 'Please, sweetheart, just let me in, I'm not going to leave you again, you _can_ trust me.' (Isabella bit her lip and knew that her face had scrunched up towards tears) 'Please, darling.'

Isabella stared at him: her mind calculating, her eyes beginning to well up with venom, her frame becoming increasingly stiller and her face flittering through hundreds of emotions that she couldn't identify and doubted he could.

'Okay,' Isabella whispered softly, her voice barely above a breath of wind.

'Okay?' her father asked both shocked and trying to reinforce what she had just said no doubt because she sounded so unsure of her decision. He had understood a lot of the emotions that went across her face, more than she would have expected him to, and he was sure she was going to run. She probably wasn't aware that her eyes were screaming that she wanted to be anywhere but there

'Okay,' Isabella nodded, giving him a real smile for the first time and speaking with more confidence. His lips twitched slightly as he smiled back at her.

Neither of them moved and after glancing around for a while in the silence, Isabella sighed. This was what she had wished for so often when she was human so why couldn't she just be happy he was there? Trying to lock away her fears in a little box, she took a small step towards him but then stopped suddenly. Footsteps echoed again and, before she knew it, her father was in front of her wrapping her arms tightly around her smaller frame. She came up to about his lip line so she ducked her head into his shoulder, the fatherly embrace so familiar that it was an automatic reaction for her, and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

'I love you,' he whispered in her ear, bracing himself for her reply.

'I love you more,' he heard her quiet voice and it took all his strength not to collapse or sigh with relief that that was her answer still.

'I love you most,' he replied, knowing that was exactly what she expected him to do and in return he received a giggle.

'I like Esme,' Isabella told him hours later when Esme had ushered everyone out the house, 'she's really nice, sort of woman I'd imagine you would marry – you know, if you hadn't been married to Ma.'

Her father chuckled, 'I think she likes you as well.'


	37. Older Siblings

Chapter 34 – Older Siblings

**An older brother is a friend and defender, and older sister is a listener, conspirator, a counsellor and a sharer of delights and sorrows too.**

As soon as Isabella began to wonder again where her … _adopted_-siblings were, they returned with their eyes bright golden from hunting. The juniors and the bear-like male entered the room calmly while the two blonds entered with tense shoulders.

'What is _she_ doing here?' the female blonde asked and Isabella flinched back slightly.

'Rose,' Isabella recognised the dangerous warning tone in her father's voice and she glanced warily up at him before glancing at "Rose" who seemed unapologetic before she could say anything else though the pixie spoke up.

'I thought you would like to us all yourself, Carlisle,' she said smiling at him and Isabella turned to see her father smile at his small daughter.

'Tell us what?' the bear asked and Isabella felt herself get annoyed.

'Papa,' she interrupted before he could explain and she heard gasps echo from the bear, model and pained one, 'who's who? It's really irritating me.'

Her father chuckled slightly and mused her hair and, though when she was younger she would have pulled away, she let him mess her hair up, 'Sorry, Isa.

'Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, I assume you all now can guess who this is,' he gestured to her and Isabella realised she would have to wait to find out who was who though she knew her father wouldn't make her wait long. 'Isa is my biological daughter, as Alice and Edward already know, Isabella Marissa. Isa, honey, this is Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, Alice and Edward.'

Isabella frowned at him for not actually pointing out who was who but, by process of elimination, she figured out that: the small, dark spiky haired pixie was Alice, the one who could see the future; the other Junior who had walked in calmly, with untidy bronze hair and was thin and lanky then had to be Edward since the other calm one didn't know what was going on before he was told; the female blonde then had to be Rosalie; something told her that the honey blond vampire with hundreds of scars littering his skin that always seemed to be in pain at school was Jasper while Emmett was the bear-like one who had curly hair, though she wasn't hundred percent sure.

Alice bounced over happily and pulled Isabella to her feet, hugging her tightly.

'I'm Alice,' she grinned brightly and Isabella found herself smiling back, 'I'm so glad you're finally here, I've known you were coming for months. We're going great friends.'

'Alice,' Isabella heard her step-mother laugh, 'let her breath, dear.'

'Sorry,' her father said as Alice let go and she was able to sit back down next to her father. 'It's hard to rein Alice in.'

Isabella laughed sounding carefree even to herself, 'it's okay, and it's nice to meet you, Alice. I'm just going your judgement on that.'

It was a while since Isabella felt so at home somewhere and glancing around she noticed that, now Rosalie knew who she was, she had stopped glaring and actually had a soft smile on her face.

'Sorry for glaring,' Rosalie spoke and Isabella smiled at her widely, glad she was being accepted by everyone. 'I just don't trust people easily.'

'Don't worry,' Isabella replied to her and Rosalie's smile widened. 'I'm not much better unless I know there's a solid reason to trust someone.'

Rosalie smiled at her younger sister, for she knew that Isabella would be staying before anyone asked, and was surprised that they had something in common, though she still wasn't a hundred percent fond on the girl since she was so damn beautiful. Rosalie had taken one look at her and knew she was now second best, she wasn't the most beautiful vampire now but this beauty was her adoptive father's daughter: she couldn't dwell on it. Besides Isabella didn't seem to be very aware of her unholy beauty and her down to earth attitude actually drew Rosalie in. She liked that they could pass as related with the blonde hair and golden eyes. Though Isabella's hair was a soft pale blonde, the same colour of Carlisle's, that was so pale it was practically white with a sandy blonde hint and it feel in soft waves while Rosalie's was a golden blonde but hers was also wavy. Rosalie realised they really could pass as siblings and wondered why that was why Carlisle hadn't been able to let her die. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Edward grimace and guessed that she correct, somehow she didn't feel hut by that but flattered. She snapped back to the conversation as she heard her husband speak.

'So, I guess you're going to be hanging around them,' he joked and she rolled her eyes.

Though Rosalie was amused by what the bear had said, Isabella turned to look at her father unsure. Did he really want her to stay? He seemed to know what she was thinking as he often did and wrapped an arm round her, pressing a kiss to her head.

'You better be,' he muttered so quiet Isabella was sure she was the only one who could hear even though everyone in the room had vampire hearing.

'We'd love to have you, dear,' her step-mother's rose came from behind her and Isabella turned to see that Esme was perching on the sofa by her head.

Isabella looked between the two parents she now had, because she knew Esme would not being able to help but mother her because she was just that type of woman, and thought it through. She had left Logan and Andie because she couldn't stand to watch love but this family was made up practically of couples, the only unattached one being Edward, so could she really survive her? But, on the other hand, her father was here, the man she had craved for when she wanted comfort was in the room and she could stay with him: it all depended on how strong she was.

'Do you have a gift?' the one who she had guessed as Edward asked before she could decide whether to stay or go.

'I don't know,' Isabella replied startled, she had met a few vampires who had gifts but she was pretty sure she didn't have one or, if she did, she had never discovered it.

'Where are the Denali's?' her father asked with a frown.

'They're still huntin',' the one she assumed to be Jasper answered him. 'You want me to holler for Eleazar?'

Isabella frowned wondering who the Denali's were and why her father would want Eleazar so suddenly.

_'I_ don't but I think it might satisfy Edward,' her father chuckled in reply.

'They'll be back in 5 minutes,' Alice's high, clear soprano replied this time Isabella got her confirmation that Alice was psychic.

'Right,' her father nodded and Edward seemed satisfied but then her father turned to her and she became wary. 'Are you staying?'

Isabella's eyes flickered around the room: to Esme with her motherly appearance and her acceptance of her step-daughter without a moment's thought; to Alice who seemed to have taken to her right away; to Jasper who seemed wary but kind and willing to get to know her; to Rosalie who now seemed quite keen for Isabella to join the family: to Edward who felt comfortable enough to ask her questions and who was smiling at her since he walked in, accepting her as quickly as Esme and Alice; to Emmett who's playful nature said how happy he was and how at ease he was with her around; and finally back to her father, whose face was a mask of hope, fear and desperation though she could see his love for her shinning in his eyes, his concern. Looking at all of them, she felt herself smiling. With a family like this she was sure she could keep her demons back.

'Alright,' she said and everyone smiled. 'I'll stay.'

With that confirmation, Esme's arms wrapped around her from her place perched on the couch behind Isabella and she learned back. She was really grateful that her stepmother had made her come and talk to her father.

The man in question let forward and pressed another kiss to her hair and she thought maybe she was being a tiny bit harsh on him. She had never gone back to check of Theresa and Callen because of the pain, he didn't make the choice to leave her, he didn't know she was a vampire so he couldn't help that he didn't find her. Nothing was his fault, he was exactly the same as her and, yet, for some reason she couldn't find it in her to trust him as completely as she did when she younger. Besides it was very clear that he did still love her dearly.

Her older siblings, for they were all older than her she was sure, all came forward and both Isabella's parents let go of her and she stood up. Emmett swung her around in a circle and she was passed around each of her new siblings being hugged and kissed. It was nice feeling, being loved; it had been a long time since Isabella had felt it.


	38. Family Isn't Always Blood

Chapter 35 – Family Isn't Always Blood

"**Family isn't always blood. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what." – Unknown **

Isabella found out who the Denali's were in exactly the time that Alice had said - she was good. Five of them walked through the door. There were four women and one man.

'Who's this?' a woman with strawberry blonde hair questioned at the same time the only male, who like the woman standing at his side, had an olive tint to his skin and dark brown hair and Isabella assumed him to be Eleazar, said 'hmm, that girl's a shield, Carlisle.'

Her father blanched but seemed unsurprised at this announcement as he answered the one questions, 'Eleazar, Carmen, Tanya, Kate, Irina, this is my daughter, Isabella. Isa, my darling, this is the Denali Clan; we consider them our extended family.'

The woman who stood at Eleazar's side stepped forward and hugged her.

'Hola, Isabel,' she grinned kissing both Isabella's cheeks. 'I'm Carmen.'

'Hi,' Isabella grinned awkwardly.

'You look so much like your father,' she laughed glancing between the two in question.

'Uncanny,' the tallest blonde said. She had straight hair that was the colour of corn silk, a darker shade of blonde than Isabella's own hair.

Isabella smiled taking their comments as a compliment and turned to look at her father, 'what's a shield?'

'It's a defensive talent,' he told her, resting his hand on her blonde head.

'It's why I can't hear your thoughts,' Edward called from where he was now seated near the large grand piano on a raised platform. Isabella took this to mean he was a mind-reader - she was starting to get irritated that she had to keep inferring things.

'She's a strong one, too,' Eleazar said, coming closer. 'I can't get a hold on her nor find a way around it and from the look on her face she's doing it without meaning to-'

'She is right here!' Isabella interrupted causing some of the assembled people to laugh.

'Sorry,' Eleazar chuckled, leaning forward to kiss her cheek the way her uncle used to, 'it's nice to meet you, Isabella.'

'Just Izzy,' Isabella corrected him and her father glanced at her curiously as did her step-mother. 'Isabella's too formal; nobody's called me it for years. My husband started it.'

Isabella shook her head at herself wondering why she wasn't able to keep her mouth shut. Her father's eyes widened.

'Hello, Izzy, I'm Tanya,' the first who spoke said before speaking to everyone in the room. 'I know we just got here but I think it might be best for us to go back to Denali, you have a lot to catch up on.'

'Tanya, you're-' Esme began but Tanya smiled and shook her head.

'We'll clear out your way.'

There was a round of goodbyes, and a few hello's for Isabella, and the Denali clan were gone. As soon as they were, her father turned to Isabella with a face that clearly wanted her to explain.

'Papa, you can't be that surprised,' she began but stopped because he clearly was. That surprised her because she was still wearing her wedding rings, something she thought her _father _of all peoplewould have noticed. 'I don't want to talk about it.'

And she hadn't, it had been over 200 years and she still didn't want to talk about Alec, she had only done it once for Logan and that was really skirting over the basics. She hadn't said Alec's name since she had been telling Callen off - "Callen Alec Bailey Carmichael, what are you doing?". She knew it would be too painful more painful than it had been speaking about her life.

'Okay,' her father said and she looked up at him gratefully as he brushed a strand away from her face. 'You're killing Jasper so I going to assume it's too painful,'

Her eyelids fluttered like they did when she tried to hold back tears when she was human and she smiled up at him.

'It's not bad, Papa,' she said to him, knowing she could tell him this much thought something was tugging at her heart. 'It's was good, _that's _why it's painful. I married for love and nothing else'

Her father's face had broken into a smile and he picked her up and spun her. Isabella laughed though she wasn't sure what had gotten into her father. She heard Esme laugh slightly and as soon as Isabella's feet touched the ground again, she spoke.

'What was that about, my love?' her step-mother asked her father.

'What?' he asked a proud smile on his face. 'No one married for love back then, if they did it was extraordinarily rare.'

Isabella debated telling her father about the twins but thought he had had enough surprises for one day.


	39. Trying to do Better

Chapter 36 – Trying to Do Better

"**Don't hate me yet, I'm still trying to do better." – Unknown **

It had been five days and Isabella felt amazingly comfortable in her father's family as though this was where she was meant to be. The romantic couple weren't that bad or if they were, Isabella could usually find Edward who was always happy to save her. Alice and Jasper were good as well because they, unlike Rosalie and Emmett, weren't flamboyant in their relationship. Her father and step-mother weren't either but their love was so simple and perfect that it hurt to look at: the small touches of affection, the understanding.

Isabella was probably becoming closest to Edward in the family because he was the one who spent the most time with her. That morning he had got her playing again and her father descended from wherever he was hiding himself. She had much improved since she was seven and the music wrapped beautiful around itself, floating around the room in a perfect symphony. Edward had stared at her with his mouth open in shock and her father had picked up a book from the coffee table in the lounge, taking a seat on the sofa to listen to her while he read. She had a lot in common with Edward - music, books - so they got on well something her father was really happy about.

On the other hand she got on with everyone.

Emmett and Jasper were like the perfect older brothers, she could see that already. They were both already protective of her and while Emmett was great to tease and play with, Jasper was a lot more of a sounding board, though he could be teased as well. However, her two older brothers were complete opposites: Emmett was a complete optimist, childish and thoughtless, and always acting kind of dumb because he was smarter than he let people believe; while Jasper could seem cold but he was kind and polite not to mention extremely wise and knowledgeable.

Rosalie was good too, she was protective as well and having all these people so protective over her was strange for Isabella because she had only really had few people like that in her human life. She had gained Isabella's trust quickly and she had actually told her a bit more about her life and, though she was slightly ashamed, Isabella cried tearlessly causing Rosalie to wrap her in a hug and just sit there rocking her. No one else had been home then so it's was a nice moment between the two of them.

Alice, though frozen three years older, sometimes seemed so much younger than she was because she was so happy and carefree. Her obsession with makeup was irritating because she was constantly trying to do Isabella's make up and clothes. After only three days, Isabella had just given Alice free range on her clothes after her step mother told her that it wasn't worth trying to fight.

Her step-mother was amazing. Isabella would help her in the garden, on the first day mainly to please her father but she couldn't resist Esme's mothering, she was still young enough to appreciate it and she knew Esme liked mothering her. It was strange that they actually kind of looked alike with the wavy hair, both their lips were full and their eyebrows perfectly arched. Isabella noticed that Esme also had dimples when she smiled. Of course, Isabella was like a female version on her father now, the colour of her eyes now matched as well, but looking slightly like Esme as well really made Isabella feel as though she fit. Her step-mother loved her presence out on in the garden because it was something she usually did alone since no one else had much of an interest in gardening. Isabella didn't tell her step-mother but she wasn't that fond either but she didn't mind it. She didn't hate it and she liked Esme's company so she stuck helping her.

Esme's mothering was really nice because one time when Emmett had come home, Isabella had let Rosalie spend some time with her husband and headed downstairs. She had smelt Esme scent and so followed that into the kitchen. She had spent a while lying on the sofa with her head on Esme's lap and her stroking Isabella's hair like Cassandra used to do, though not often.

Her father, on the other hand, was just as she remembered him, a lot wiser but just as patient and compassionate. She could tell he was on a high about having her back and so had the doctors at the hospital. They had asked and her father had made up some story, luckily he had been told how old she was acting and how old she was.

_'Isa, how old are you?' he had asked as they sat together._

_'Sixteen,' she had answered him, knowing exactly what he meant. _

_He had relaxed slightly and then smiled at her, 'you seem younger.'_

_She wondered why that relaxed him. Was it because it meant she had been alive for longer than he had thought and therefore saw more of life or because it could mean that the married at a later age? Whatever it was, she was glad he was more relaxed about that issue._

Apparently, Isabella was his and Esme's daughter, who was fifteen having just turned that age in September. She was kidnapped when she was younger, he had chosen the age of eight and Isabella tried not to laugh at that, but somehow she had found them again. With her fifteen it was so close that her father wasn't old enough in Forks to actually be her father. However, he was claiming thirty-three, something he could easily pass for since he was actually twenty-nine, Esme was twenty-eight and claiming the age thirty-two meaning she would have been seventeen when Isabella was born. It was a strange story but Isabella rather liked it mainly because then she could keep calling her father "papa" - it would be really hard to stop. Besides the kidnapping part would only be until they moved out of Forks which Isabella was sure wouldn't be long.

It was Sunday now and Isabella was trying to get a handle on this shield thing. She was wondering if she could get it off herself and her father said that they can be developed over time. So she had sat there for hours trying to extend her shield over her father, who was sat doing some paper work and probably not even aware of what she was doing. She had got it out from herself once but not very far but had discovered it was kind of like a rubber band. She tested its strength again and pushed, trying to keep it remaining solid instead of turning to smoke as she pushed it toward her father. Edward was sitting at the piano and now her father had stopped his paper and was having a one side conversation with him in his thoughts - the perfect time. She pushed it and managed to get it on the other side of her father.

'Izzy, what did you do?' Edward said, glancing over at her.

His voice made the elastic band snap back, 'damn it'

Her father shot her a look and she smiled apologetically.

'What happened, Edward?' he then asked.

'Your thoughts cut of half way through,' Edward replied still looking suspiciously at Isabella.

'Sorry,' Isabella said. 'I was just practicing.'


	40. No Rain Without Tears

Chapter 37 – No Rain Without Tears

"**The soul would have no rainbow had the eyes no tears." – John Vance Cheney **

'Papa?' Isabella asked as she walked into her father's study a week later. Her step-mother was in there and, though she felt bad for interrupting, she knew she had to do this now or she wouldn't. He looked up at her curiously. 'Can I speak with you?'

'What's wrong?' he asked reading Isabella's tense facial expression quickly and becoming immediately on guard.

'Nothing,' she replied without missing a beat to reassure him. 'I - I just need to talk to you.'

Esme stood up, 'I think that's my clue to -'

'Actually, Papa, can we go somewhere else,' his eyebrows rose as she cut his wife off but Isabella knew the child-like tone in her voice would freeze him long enough to give her anything she wanted. 'Please.'

'Ok,' he nodded and Isabella sighed. He rose from his seat and walked round to kiss her step-mother's cheek. 'I'll see you later.'

Isabella was already gone by this point though she could still hear him.

Carlisle sighed. He loved his daughter more than anything in the world, more than his wife, his life, anything, but sometimes she could be so cryptic. He raced after her as fast as he could but she was faster than him as she always had been.

'Isabella!' he called after her.

He found her in the middle of a clearing, lying on her back with her eyes closed as though she hadn't just been in his office asking to speak with him, and shook his head. As he made his way towards her he listened. He couldn't hear anything: not the freeway, not Emmett and Jasper fighting, not Edward's music. This was obviously what she wanted, to be away from the whole family but him. He knelt down beside her and brushed her cheek gently.

'What's wrong?' he asked again as her eyes fluttered open. She was silent. 'Isa?'

'I'm a _horrible _daughter,' she whispered so low that Carlisle had to strain to hear it.

That was the last thing he had expected her to say.

'What? _Why _would you think that?' Carlisle replied, feeling as though all the breath had left his lungs at her words. He pulled her off the floor and into a hug.

'Because,' Isabella replied to her father, 'I run away from you, Mum' - Isabella had gotten in the habit of calling her step-mother "mum" over the last week - 'had to convince me to come to the house, I haven't told you anything about my past and -'

Isabella could have continued for hours but her father clamped a hand over her mouth.

'Don't talk nonsense,' he whispered quietly, soothingly. 'You had and have every reason for those things and, my darling Isa, you are the best daughter I could have ever asked for because you're funny and you're talented, you're beautiful and kind, and so strong. I am _incredibly _proud to be your father. I love you and nothing you do is going to change that, are we clear?'

Isabella simple stared at her father for what seemed like an eternity before she nodded slowly, 'I _am_ sorry for running.'

'Don't be,' he told her softly. 'Is that what you wanted to talk about?'

Isabella shook her head, biting her lip. Carlisle sighed: it was like trying to draw blood from a stone talking to her sometimes.

'Then what else is troubling you, my darling little Isa?'

'Nothing's troubling me, Papa,' she told her adding a "now" in her head, 'but I think it's probably bothering you.' His eyes brows furrowed in confusion. 'Don't interrupt me or I won't finish.'

This she knew with certainty and her father could tell that so he made a show of locking his lips and throwing away the key. Isabella grinned as she lay back down on the grass.

'Okay, so when you … died,' she began and her father's eyes met hers asking if she really wanted to do this but she didn't acknowledge him. 'Ma remarried but everything, generally, continued as it had.' (She decided to leave out the whole depression knowing that would simple hurt him and the quietness the house had fallen under.) 'Um, I was fourteen when I met my husband at the masquerade ball that was held on the same evening every year and, to begin with, we're were blissfully happy, grandfather died and then we just couldn't stop fighting and we called it quits. Ma's brother and I were in charge of the church by that point which was … interesting. My husband sister convinced me to go talk to him because apparently staying apart was hurting us both so we made up, married and he died.'

Isabella felt pressure behind her eyes and her father went to open his mouth but remembered his promise and simple took her hand, trying to comfort her.

Isabella smiled brightly at him her fake smile that no one had ever seen through during her depression but instead of seeming calmed by it, his brow furrowed and he broke his promise.

'Isabella Marissa, don't flash a fake smile at me,' he told her sternly and she gazed up at him in shock and adoration. 'What?'

'Nobody's ever seen through that smile before, except my husband,' she told him but didn't let him reply. Pushing back the venom tears that would never fall, Isabella continued.

'Ma had died a few weeks before and I was pregnant,' her father squeezed her hand. 'So I was completely alone - his sister died at the same time - besides his parents, who were really great. I fell really depressed until the children were born: twins.' (Isabella gave her father a tight smile) 'A boy and a girl. Callen and Theresa. I was transformed when they were a few months old.'

Her father sighed heavily, squeezing his eyes shut: he knew exactly how horrible it was to know you've left children behind when you start this new life. They haunt you and follow your every step even once they're long dead. This never ending reminder of pain and loss.

'I heard they died when they were 12, my mother-in-law two years before and her husband 4 years before her. There, that's my human life, it just filled with death,' Isabella said bitterly and she could tell her father felt completely lost as to what to do in this situation.

'Isa,' he said and she turned to look at him.

'I'm fine,' she said forcefully trying to convince both of them. 'Questions?'

Carlisle could have asked many questions but the haunted look in his daughter's eyes made him wary. He didn't want to cause her anymore pain than she had already forced upon herself by telling him.

'What about after your human life?' he risked to ask. 'Have you travelled with anyone?'

'Um… well as a vampire I seem to have little blood lust for humans so I was incredibly in control of myself from the beginning,' Isabella said, thinking back. 'I've never killed someone and my creator told me about the animal diet. He said there was something I had to know but I didn't stick around long enough to hear it -'

'Why not?'

'I was too angry at him for taking me away from Callen and Theresa,' Isabella shrugged looking up at. 'It seems so stupid now, how hard would it have been just to stick around that tiny bit longer to hear the reason he had transformed me but I fled as I often do. Two months later I met Logan and we travelled together for a while, he wanted to try the diet so I helped him as best I could. I stayed with him until December of the year 1800. He had found his mate and they were so lovey-dovey that I couldn't stand to be around it. So I left them and I haven't seen them since.'

'You really loved your husband, didn't you,' it wasn't a question her father said; it was an almost pitying statement.

'Yeah,' she smiled tightly again before taking a deep breathe. 'After that I went back to London in 1820 and restored the church.'

'I thought that looked far too well,' her father chuckled and she grinned at him before continuing.

'Um … what else have I done?' this was more to herself as she decided what was most important. 'I've served in the Royal Army Nursing Corps during the first world war as Matron-in-chief.' - she grinned wider seeing that her father was proud and impressed of this for her - 'I've never travelled with anyone again though I've met many vampires.' (The confused, thoughtful expression her face had fallen in suddenly transformed to a smirk at her next thought) 'I've studied medicine and I usually work as a doctor.'

Her father snorted at this revelation and Isabella grinned slightly.

'I guess that runs in the family,' he laughed. 'How do you even pass as a doctor?'

'Badly,' Isabella admitted. 'But if I dress right and use makeup in a certain way, I'm quite good at making myself look older. I feel useful enough that's it's completely worth it. Plus, you have_ no idea_ how boring high school gets.'

They spent the rest of the day chatting about the past lives and the earlier days of vampire existence, how things had changed for the worse or better. Isabella was so happy: it was the longest uninterrupted she had spent with her father since she was a little girl.


	41. May Soon Be Gone

Chapter 38 – May Soon Be Gone

"**It is wasteful to invest your time with someone that may be gone soon." – Senora Roy**

It was now January so it had been 2 months since Isabella had decided to stay with her father and the town was abuzz. Once again someone new was coming so Isabella got to see what it was like when she was coming. Of course, the fact that there were two in a few months fascinated the small community more. It was nice how she was no longer the centre of intention; instead it was a brunette girl entering the Juniors with Edward and Alice.

Edward's face was beginning to become stressed with all the thought's flying around him as he often did so instead of keeping her shield, which Isabella had proudly mastered in the last two months, just around the family as had become her habit now to save Edward from having to hear things no one wanted to hear and pushed it so she covered the majority of the lunch hall where the majority if not all the students were

'Thanks,' Edward grinned but then he turned and Isabella returned her attention to something else.

Isabella had also discovered another part to her power that allowed her to hide her existence in somebody else's mind or just small parts of it depending on her will. Isabella was sure that would come in handy sooner or later though she wished she had known it earlier. Especially since she didn't have to concentrate on that person to keep it up, it was like an ongoing effect even if her mind wasn't on it at all.

'That's Edward, Emmett and Isabella Cullen,' Edward heard a voice say and turned toward it, noticing that it was Jessica Stanley speaking to the new girl, 'and Rosalie and Jasper Hale. The one who left was Alice Cullen; they all live together with Dr. Cullen and his wife

'They're all together, though - Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Alice, I mean. And, they live together.'

Edward rolled his eyes - they weren't actually related.

'Which ones are the Cullens? They don't look related,' a new voice said that Edward had never heard before and his gaze moved from Jessica to who must be the new girl: Sophie Swan. She was plain for a human and yet still somehow beautiful, with brown eyes and straight hair. Freckles littered her face over her nose.

'Oh, they're not. Dr. Cullen is really young in his early thirties,' Jessica answered her and Edward's eyes snapped back to her. 'They're all adopted, apart from Isabella who was like kidnapped and only returned like last year, her parents were ecstatic. The Hales are brother and sister, twins and they're foster children.'

'Jessica Staley is giving the new Swan girl all the dirty laundry of the Cullen Clan,' Edward muttered quietly pulling Isabella from her thoughts.

'I hope she's making it good,' Isabella replied as Emmett opened his mouth causing him to grin.

'Knew I liked you, little sister,' he beamed cheekily and Isabella blew him a playful kiss.

'Rather unimaginative, actually,' Edward said answering her words. 'Just the barest hint of a scandal. Not an ounce of horror - unless you count your "kidnapping" a scandal, Izzy. I'm a little disappointed.'

Emmett deflated but when Sophie spoke again they all listened harder though none looked in the direction like Edward had.

'They look a bit old for foster children.'

'They are now,' Jessica told her sounding smug she knew all the information. 'Jasper and Rosalie are both eighteen, but they've been with Mrs. Cullen since they were eight. She's their aunt or something like that.'

'That's really nice of them to take care of all those kids like that, when they're so young and everything,' they heard Sophie say and Isabella smiled - she seemed quite nice. 'Whose who?'

'I guess but I don't think Mrs. Cullen could have kids after Isabella, though,' Jessica added as though she expected this to change the Swan girl's opinion but their whole table frowned. 'She's the one sitting between to the male blond and the reddish brown haired one. Trust me, you'd know she was Dr. Cullen's daughter if you saw him, Mrs. Cullen is hardly in her at all.'

'Yeah, there's a reason for that,' Emmett chortled and Rosalie nudged him in the rips.

'Emmett, shh,' Isabella scolded him.

'She's really pretty, what happened to her?' Sophie asked and Isabella smiled at the compliment.

'Nobody really knows, the Cullen's don't like to talk about and always elude it if someone asks -'

'People ask _them_, that's so insensitive!'

'I like her,' Isabella hissed and the table chuckled.

'Well, it's a small town, people are used to knowing everything but if you see them out and about, Isabella rarely leaves her father's side.'

'Don't I?' Isabella asked her family, if that was true she hadn't even noticed and then rest of her family gave her expressions that clearly said that it was.

'She must be so frightened,' the new Swan girl had said before she changed her tone, 'but who's the one with the reddish brown haired?'

'Oh, Eddie, I think you have an admirer,' Emmett laughed and got slapped on the head by Rose.

'That's Edward. He's gorgeous, of course, but don't waste your time. He doesn't date, nor does Isabella for that matter. Apparently none of the girls here are good looking enough for him.'

'And the others?'

'Jasper's is the one on Isabella's other side. Then you've got Rosalie and Emmett.'

The new girl seemed to study the Cullens, all of them could feel her eyes on them and they made an effort to act human, Isabella even went as far as to pick up her orange and start to slowly peel it.

'Have they always lived in Forks?' Sophie Swan asked and the façade drop slightly but not so much that anyone would notice.

'No,' Jessica answered her, 'they just moved down two years ago from somewhere in Alaska.'

Or, at least everyone but she had, Isabella corrected Jessica in her head before Rosalie's voice cut through her thoughts.

'Shall we go?'

'Yeah, c'mon, sis,' Jasper chuckled throwing his arm round Izzy, the Swan girl was still watching them, 'I'll walk ya to class since you're _so _scared. We don't want you to get yourself in a fix.'

Isabella shoved him gently but the family got up, making sure to be noisy about it.

As Isabella and her family clambered gracefully into Edward's large Volvo at the end of the day, Isabella knew immediately something was wrong and, looking at Alice's face, she could tell that it was something close. Looking at Edward as well, she knew it was him.

'Edward?' she asked softly, placing a hand on his arm from her place next to him: Alice and Rosalie liked to sit next to their husbands. 'What's happened?'

'Nothing,' he said sharply and Isabella withdrew her hand in shock. 'Yet.'

She frowned but turned to Alice, 'what happened?'

'The new Swan girl caused Edward some problems,' she replied vaguely with a shrug though Isabella knew she knew a lot more.

'Was she a singer, Edward?' Emmett voiced and Isabella tilted her head to the side - what was a singer? She allowed her shield down for a second so Edward could hear her. It was times like these when she realised how ignorant she really was to the world that she had been a part of for longer than anyone else in the car.

'Infrequently,' he said, his voice tense, 'a specific human will smell nearly irresistible to a specific vampire. That human is known as a "singer" because his or her blood "sings" for the vampire in question but no, Emmett, her blood didn't smell that good just a lot more appetising than normal.'

'You'll fine, Edward,' Rosalie said supportive of her brother for the first time Isabella had heard. 'After Carlisle and Izzy, you've got the best control of all of us.'

But Isabella could see that Edward still wasn't convinced and that he already had a plan set in his head.

'You're leaving!' Alice gasped and Edward sent her a glare.

'I know.'

'I'll miss you, Edward,' Isabella said to him and every shot her looks of surprise that she wasn't putting up a fight to make him stay, 'no matter how shorter time you're gone but you better tell Mum and Dad yourself. They won't want you to go but I think you're doing the right thing: she's Chief Swan's only family, so do what you must: that's definitely what Papa will say, so don't worry.'

Edward seemed to relax and even went as far as to smile at her. She knew after spending so much time with him that this was exactly what he needed to hear, 'thanks, Iz.'

Edward was gone the next day and when the rest of the Cullen's went to school nobody seemed to noticed apart from Sophie Swan, who looked over curiously and angrily. Isabella wasn't sure why she was angry but she didn't trouble herself to find out. Edward wouldn't be back for a while until he either fond it too hard or he decided he was going to have to face his problems. She wasn't sure which it would be but she doubted it was any of the Swan girls business. She hoped Edward would ever kill her or let the girl be soon though Alice was sure that the only two options were for Edward to change her or for the Swan girl to die. Isabella, though it sounded harsh, didn't care which as long as Edward decided soon.


	42. Great Compliment

Chapter 39 – Great Compliment

"**To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved." – George MacDonald**

Edward had begun a relationship with the human Sophie Swan, and Rosalie and Jasper were not happy about it. He had saved her from an out of control vehicle and, though Isabella was proud of him for it, it could have exposed them all. The family had had a huge debate over it, being completely split over the idea of what should be done. That had been the first time Isabella had seen her new family use their dining room and it was then she discovered that it wasn't just a prop. Her father had sat at the head, her step-mother to his right and he had gestured for Isabella to be seated to his left - the action had surprised her as she had expected Edward, as the oldest member of the family after her father, to have the right to that seat. There was such an argument in the house that night - Rosalie and Jasper stating that it was too dangerous, Alice simply wanting a new friend though she was confident that Sophie would be completely safe. Isabella didn't trust the girl, which was unsurprising to everyone, but she believed that Rosalie and Jasper's idea to eliminate the problem before it became one was just a little too extreme but on the other hand she didn't think Alice's happy-go-lucky attitude was appropriate either. Esme just wanted Edward happy and was willing to do anything to make him so.

He was bringing her over today and Isabella's plan was to keep her distance as much as possible. From the look Edward and Alice gave her when she decided this told her they weren't surprised in the slightest, just marginally disappointed. Her father and step-mother seemed vaguely understanding as did everyone other than those two.

She sighed as she heard Edward's Volvo pull up outside and she caught the scent of him and the Swan girl who she had to admit was more appetising than others even to her who had little blood lust.

'Wow,' she heard a soft voice say after the opening and shutting of car doors and Isabella assumed this was Sophie's opinion of the house. She felt a swell of pride for her mother and grinned knowing that Esme, who was standing downstairs with her father to greet them both, would be beaming at the fact that her son's girlfriend liked the house.

'You like it?' Edward asked unnecessarily.

'It's beautiful, I love it,' Sophie laughed.

There was a pause as they moved toward the house before Edward asked, 'ready?'

'As I'll ever be,' Sophie sighed heavily. 'Let's go.'

Isabella heard the sound on hands brushing on fabric and assumed that the Swan girl was trying to make herself more presentable. Edward must have grabbed her hands.

'You look lovely,' he assured her.

The front door opened and Isabella could hear her stepmother bounce slightly on her toes in anticipation - in some ways she was a bit like Alice.

'Carlisle, Esme,' Edward's voice floated up to Isabella. 'This is Sophie.'

'You're very welcome, Sophie,' Isabella's father said and she rolled her eyes wondering why her father had chosen to say that of all thing.

'It's nice to see you again, Dr Cullen,' Sophie replied politely and Isabella snorted remembering that she had met her father in the emergency room: that girl had no idea what clumsy was. Isabella knew Sophie considered herself as clumsy but she had seen Isabella in her human life, she would see real clumsiness.

'Izzy!' Edward hissed below human hearing range, he had no idea what she was thinking but since the tone of his voice was harsh it obviously wasn't what she had and she fought the urge to snap back at him.

'Please,' her father said and Isabella thought he sound slightly amused this time though it wouldn't be noticeable to a human to whom he would sound his normal, formal self, 'call me Carlisle.'

There was her gentleman of a father, Isabella thought as she heard Sophie repeat her father's name.

'It's very nice to know you,' Esme spoke for the first time and Isabella knew she was resisting herself from hugging them both in happiness that Edward had finally found himself someone - though Rosalie would never admit it, the whole family was.

'Thank you,' Isabella smiled, this girl was very polite. 'I'm glad to meet you too.'

Isabella's smile widened as she thought to herself _who wouldn't _for Esme was just so perfect but then, she reminded herself, she hadn't been pleased to meet Esme to begin with though she did like her. Isabella tuned out of what was going on downstairs as Alice and Jasper appeared her doorway.

'Are you coming down?' Alice asked and Isabella stared at her.

'You already know the answer to that,' she replied, trying her best to not sound harsh.

'Please, Izzy, you're going to like her eventually,' Alice tried to persuade her. 'I've seen that. So why not just come down now.'

Jasper sent her a wave of happiness thinking that might make her feel more complying to his wife's wishes but the only affect it really had was to make her irritated.

'No, Ali,' she sighed, glaring slightly at Jasper causing him to stop. 'I love you but no.'

'Don't push it, Al,' Jasper smiled, pulling on his wife's hand as she opened her mouth to argue and Isabella smiled gratefully in return. 'Izzy'll do what she wants when she's ready. Give her space.'

'Fine,' Alice said at the same time downstairs Edward asked, 'where is everyone?' though, of course, he could hear us all.

Alice and Jasper were gone at the speed of light and Isabella sighed. She did feel a little guilty but trust wasn't easy with her, Alice knew that.

'Don't beat yourself up, Izzy!' Rosalie's voice, irritated about the human in the house, called from her and Emmett's room. She knew Isabella so well now that it was easy for her to predict her actions.

Isabella tuned back in downstairs to hear her step mother say, 'do you play?'

'Not at all,' Sophie's soft voice answered. 'But it's so beautiful, I always told myself if I got enough money, I'd buy my mother one.' - Isabella cringed knowing Edward would now want to buy that for her. 'Is it yours?'

'No,' Esme laughed and Isabella smiled at the sound. 'It's Edwards, though Isabella uses it as well… Edward didn't tell you he was musical?'

Without even being down there Isabella could guess that Sophie was glaring at Edward.

'No,' she said. 'I should have known, I guess' - there was a silence and Isabella could tell that everyone was giving her curious looks - 'Edward can do everything, right?'

Isabella heard Jasper snort as she herself burst out in giggles that, luckily, Sophie wouldn't be able to hear even if everyone else could.

'I hope you haven't been showing off - it's rude,' the tone to her step mother's voice was one Isabella only really heard to Emmett, she rarely scolded Edward. She tried to stifle her giggle.

'Just a bit,' Edward said cheekily and Isabella grinned, she had to admit her brother had been a lot more alive since he started with Sophie.

'Well, play for her,' Esme insisted and Isabella distinctly heard her push Edward towards their piano.

'You just said showing off was rude,' Edward countered and Isabella rolled her eyes: as if that would stop her step mother.

'There are exceptions to every rule,' Esme didn't disappoint.

'I'd love to hear you play,' Sophie put in and Isabella knew that the house would soon be filled with Edward's music.

'It's settled then,' Isabella could hear Esme's joy from where she was sat.

Isabella stopped listening to what they were saying as the music started up and just began listening to Edward's compositions. He was so talented that Isabella could listen to him for days. She recognised the first one as Esme favourite before it turned and twisted into the song Edward had been working on recently. Somewhere during the first song, Isabella heard her parents move but it took Sophie ages to notice.

'Where did they go?' she asked.

'Very subtly giving us some privacy, I suppose,' Isabella knew Edward had shrugged though there was no sign of it in the music that was still flowing beneath their speech.

'_They _like me. But Rosalie, Emmett and Isabella …' Sophie trailed off and Isabella felt guilt wash over her again.

'Don't worry about Rosalie, she'll come around,' Edward replied and Isabella could tell that he was still disappointed that she, the one he was now closest to in the family, hadn't come down to greet his new girlfriend.

'Emmett?'

'Well, he thinks _I'm _a lunatic, it's true,' Edward chuckled and Isabella smiled in agreement, listening as Rosalie snapped at Emmett in the other room, 'but he doesn't have a problem with you. He's trying to reason with Rosalie.'

'What is it that upsets her?' Sophie asked and Isabella heard Rosalie hiss though it seemed Edward ignored her.

'Rosalie struggles most with … with what we are,' he told her and Isabella cringed hoping he wouldn't say something that would irritate Rosalie. 'It's hard for her to have someone on the outside know the trust. And she's a little jealous.'

'Edward!' Rosalie hissed.

'_Rosalie _is jealous of _me_?' Sophie's voice rose incredulously and Isabella rolled her eyes: was that so hard to imagine?

'You're human,' Edward said in an offhand voice. 'She wishes she were, too.'

'Oh, what about Isabella?' Isabella tensed as she heard her name and Edward sigh. 'You said she's a lot like Carlisle yet he likes me but she doesn't.'

'They're alike not the same,' Edward corrected her and Isabella smiled to herself: her father outshined her in many ways. 'Isabella's kind of like Rosalie, she's not jealous of you in anyway' - Edward backtracked probably because of Sophie's thoughts - 'she has everything she want she wants besides … she just doesn't trust people very easily. It's to do with her past which I really can't share' - Isabella whispered a thank you down to him, he really was too good to the family when it came to their pasts and person things - 'but she'll come around. She likes you, she does, she just doesn't trust you.'

'Okay,' Isabella could hear Sophie sounding a lot calmer. 'Even Jasper though …'

Isabella rolled her eyes: Edward should really give Jasper more credit.

'That's really my fault,' Edward answered. 'I told you he was the most recent to try out way of life. I warned him to keep his distance.'

'Esme and Carlisle …'

'Are happy to see me happy,' Edward finished for her. 'Actually, Esme wouldn't care if you had a third eye and webbed feet. All this time she's been worried about me, afraid that there was something missing from my essential makeup, that I was too young when Carlisle changed me … she's ecstatic. Every time I touch you, she just about chokes with satisfaction.'

Isabella snorted knowing that was completely true.

'Alice seems very … enthusiastic,' Sophie said trying to sum up their hyper sister and Isabella grinned at her choice in words which was a complete understatement and everyone knew it.

'Alice has her own way of looking at things,' Edward said with a dark tone in his voice: he was still mad about Alice's vision of Sophie as a vampire.

Isabella's parents stepped into the room at that point and Isabella turned her attention to them, knowing exactly what they were going to say.

'Won't you just come meet her?' Esme pleaded and Isabella realised that they had probably just been in Rosalie's room saying the same thing.

'I'm fine here,' Isabella replied picking up the book she was reading before Edward had arrived with Sophie and heard her father sigh and walk towards her to perch on her bed.

'Izzy,' he said softly, taking the book of her and putting it out of her immediate reach, 'you don't have to trust someone to talk to them, to greet them or welcome them to the house.' - his voice turned stern - 'Edward is giving her a tour of the house so when they come up here I want you to be civil -'

'Papa, I'm always reasonably civil,' she interrupted him but he sent her his usual look that he did when he wanted a proper answer to his instructions. 'Yes, Papa, I promise to civil.'

'Thank you,' he learnt forward and kissed her forehead in gratitude. 'I'm leaving for the hospital soon so I'll see you later.'

'Have fun,' Isabella smiled up at him but reach her hand out towards him. 'Now, can I have my book back please' - he smiled back at her and placed the book in her open hand - 'Thank you.'

As her father had said, Edward and Sophie entered her room an hour later having been in Isabella's father's office telling Sophie the story of his life. Edward had even included her in his beginning seeming to know a reasonable amount of things that she couldn't even remember and she guessed he heard them from her father's brain. Sophie had given her such sympathy that Isabella wanted to gorge her eyes out: she didn't want sympathy, she hated sympathy.

'Izzy,' Edward said knocking on her closed door. 'May we come in? This is Isabella's room.'

Edward added the end bit for Sophie's benefit but Isabella highly doubted that she needed it as she rolled of the bed and put the book down at the same time. She made her way to the door at human pace and opened the door painstakingly slow just to irritate Edward.

'Of course you may, brother dearest,' she teased turning and leaving the door open as she headed back to her bed.

'Sophie, this is Carlisle's biological daughter, Isabella,' Edward said through his teeth, 'though she seems to be in an irritating mood. Iz, this is Sophie.'

'It's really nice to meet you,' Sophie spoke up her voice wavering slightly as Isabella's eyes met hers in a hard stare and she wondered if she was that scary compared to some of the other members of the family. She relaxed slightly as Isabella's face melted into a lovely, breath-taking smile though Sophie could tell she was slightly suspicious, her eyes were sparkling in why that suggested they were looking for a reason not to trust her and it made Sophie feel extremely nervous and a little scared of the beauty sitting on the bed, If Rosalie was intimidating with her beauty and personality, it was nothing compared to Isabella who was even prettier, whose personality was even more a mystery and who seemed so much more complicated.

'You too, Sophie,' Isabella said softly scrutinising the girl at Edward's side before extending the shield over her as well.

'Izzy!' Edward yelped as the only thoughts in the house he could hear disappeared as well.

'What happened?' Sophie asked concerned, wondering what his scary sister did.

'Isabella's a shield,' Edward told her once again growling slightly as he spoke. 'So her gift repels mine and renders it useless. She just extended that shield over you.'

'So you can't hear me?' Sophie clarified with a wide grin sneaking on her face as Edward shook his head slowly. 'Perfect! Thank you, Isabella.' - she tried to speak steadily - 'I don't need my boyfriend knowing my every thought.'

Edward stood there and gawked at her while Isabella beamed, 'you're welcome.'

She may not trust the girl but she had been a relationship once and she wouldn't not have wanted him to know her every thought especially when she was mad. There was no reason to condemn Sophie to that just because she was, stupidly, dating a vampire. Besides, she shrugged internally, it would annoy Edward so much.

Alice flittered in at that moment, laughing, Jasper following slowly behind.

'There's going to be a storm tonight and Emmett wants to play ball?' she grinned, sitting down next to Isabella and leaning her head on her shoulder.

'Are you game?' Jasper smiled from the doorway.

'Sure,' Isabella replied without hesitation as Edward eyes lit up.

'Of course, you should bring Sophie,' Alice chirped to him and Jasper threw a glance at her, to distract him Isabella leaped at him, dislodging Alice unceremoniously, and they went tumbling out the door.

Everyone laughed and, as they were walking to look out the door, Edward asked Sophie.

'Do you want go?' his voice containing nothing but excitement.

'Sure,' Sophie replied echoing Isabella. 'Will I need an umbrella?'

Everyone laughed again, even Jasper and Isabella who were still tumbling around on the landing, simply because none of them would have even thought of it.

'No,' Alice grinned as her husband and sister stopped playing around. 'The storm'll be over town. It should be dry enough in the clearing. Let's go see if Carlisle will come.'

'Papa's at work,' Isabella told her as Jasper offered her a hand up. 'And like you don't already know.'

'What will we be playing?' Sophie asked once Alice and Jasper had flittered away.

'_You _will be watching,' Edward told her and Isabella swatted at him.

'We'll be playing baseball,' with that said she danced to down the stairs to her stepmother hearing Sophie speak.

'Vampires like baseball?'

'It's the American pastime,' Edward replied with mock solemnity and Isabella laughed.

Sophie must have heard her because she said quietly, though not quite enough, 'she actually seems really nice. She scares me though'

'Izzy won't hurt you and she really is nice,' Edward replied and Isabella knew from his voice that he was grinning. 'She's just even nicer when she trusts you; she lets her personality out more.'

_**Just jumping through Twilight now, sorry. **_


	43. Something Bad Always Happens

Chapter 40 – Something Bad Always Happens

"**I think I'm afraid to be happy because whenever I get too happy something bad always happens." – Charles M. Schulz**

'Here comes Edward,' Isabella laughed as the sound of, as Emmett called, the sound of a bear choking echoed around the forest and into the clearing.

'Wait. That was Edward?' Jasper laughed from where he and Alice were throwing the ball around. 'I've never heard him laugh like that.'

While his siblings were completely amused at the change in Edward and the way Emmett described his laughter, Carlisle and Esme were shaking their heads and Isabella could see why Edward was so sure that they were both just happy to see him happy.

Just then Edward appeared with Sophie walking at his side. Rosalie who was sitting with Emmett, Esme and Isabella rose quickly and walked off in the opposite direction toward Carlisle who was setting up the bases. Isabella was going to follow her before Esme grabbed her hand and pulled her toward Edward, Emmett, after a long look at Rosalie's back, followed.

'Edward, was that you?' Esme asked as the three of them got in Sophie's hearing range.

'It sounded like a bear choking according to Emmett here,' Isabella added, feeling that she had to say something.

'That was him,' Sophie replied, glaring up at Edward and Isabella almost smiled.

'Sophie was being unintentionally funny,' Edward explained and Isabella noticed that Alice was running over from her position and stopped perfectly at their feet.

'It's time,' she announced as thunder cracked overhead and Isabella laughed, still not really used to her sister's foresight.

'Eerie, isn't it?' Emmett said to Sophie with easy familiarity, winking as he often did.

'Let's go,' Alice took Emmett's hand and he allowed her to pull him towards the field though not before grabbing Isabella's arm.

As they run he threw her over his shoulder, laughing as she pounded on his back telling him to put her down. Everyone else was laughing but eventually Esme's voice echoed around.

'Emmett!' she yelled. 'Put your sister down!'

Emmett laughed and placed Isabella on her feet right next to her father, who ruffled her hair playfully and she shook her head, wondering if Emmett would ever get tired of carrying her around like a rag doll.

'Thank you, Izzy,' her father whispered in her ear. 'See it's not that hard to be civil, is it?'

'Yes,' she hissed back at him but allowed him to wrap an arm around her as he shook his head.

Then walked a back on Isabella's trail a bit and Isabella heard Esme say something about referring.

'She thinks we cheat,' she grinned at Sophie and in return she got a pleased squeeze from her father

'I know Emmett cheats,' Esme shot back and Isabella laughed as Emmett yelled out in disagreement although the whole family knew it was true.

Only a few more words were exchanged before the family started playing, the teams already decided. Sophie seemed extremely fascinated with what they were doing and at what speed but, of course, nothing could stay happy for long. Alice gasp broke the happy, playful atmosphere like a knife and Edward was at Sophie's side before the rest could even ask what was wrong. In times when they were out and about where danger would come from anywhere, Isabella removed her shield from around Alice, so while she was in a vision, Edward could explain it if the situation ever aroused.

'Alice?' Esme asked tensely

'I didn't see, I couldn't tell,' Alice was murmuring though she wasn't actually fully there and the rest of the family was all gathered.

'What is it, Alice?' Isabella's father asked with his calm voice that rang with authority.

'They were travelling much quicker than I thought,' Alice muttered in reply. 'I had the perspective wrong before.'

'What changed?' Jasper asked, standing with her protectively as though he could protect her from what she was seeing.

'They heard us playing,' she answered, beginning to get to the point, 'and it changed their path.'

Isabella, along with the rest of the family, flickered her eyes to Sophie's face before returning back to Alice.

'How soon?' she asked before her father could open his mouth though she knew this was what he was going to ask Alice though she asked Edward

'Less than five minutes,' he replied, scowling. 'They're running - they want to play.'

'Can you make it?' now her father spoke up.

'No, not carrying - Besides, the last thing we need is for them to catch the scent and start hunting.'

'How many?' Emmett finally spoke returning the attention to Alice.

'Three.'

'Three,' Emmett almost seemed to laugh. 'Let them come.'

Isabella shook her head at how eager her brother could be for a fight that may not even be necessary while the rest stared at her father with anxious eyes. He seemed to thinking along the same lines as her, however.

'Let's just continue the game,' he decided without a waver in his voice. 'Alice said they were simply curious.'

Isabella glanced at Sophie, who actually seemed to understand most of what was said, surprised since they had spoken in quick succession

'Are they thirsty?' Esme whispered too low for Sophie to hear to Edward and Isabella's ears perked up to hear the answer.

Edward shook his head and Esme sighed in relief, Isabella also felt relief was over her and knew that though she didn't trust Sophie, she did care what happened to her. Apart from Edward, who swapped with Esme, the family spread out across the field, sweeping their eyes across it and the surrounding forest. They continued playing but none of their hearts were in it anymore and it wasn't long before they heard the sounds of movement coming towards them.


	44. Fight or Flight

Chapter 41 – Fight or Flight

**Fight or Flight – it's the body's natural reaction to danger.**

Isabella saw them long before the crossed the tree line, three of them. Two men and one female. The first one to break the tree line was a light hair brunette male with his hair cropped short and his eyes glowing burgundy. He had average build and appearance meaning he was less attractive in his human life that the majority of vampires. Isabella guessed he was about 5'10 and he was wearing frayed blue clothing, she also noted that he was barefoot which she knew allowed you to run faster. He fell back and allowed the second male to take the lead. This one was slightly shorter though by nothing more than an inch with glossy black hair and a slight olive tone to his pale skin suggesting a dark human colour. His face was graced with an easy smile and his frame was medium, though slightly muscular. Finally came the woman with brilliant long, curly ginger hair - like fire - who was the shortest of the three and moved with a feline grace. They originated themselves around the black haired man but, after years of experience, Isabella could tell just at a glance that he wasn't actually in charge; she tried to communicate this to her father without words since they were close enough to hear but he seemed to already understand that.

When they reached where Isabella was standing beside her father, they spoke.

'We thought we heard a game,' the dark haired man said with a slightly French accent. 'I'm Laurent, these are Victoria and James.'

He was being polite but tense as his eyes flickered round the large family. Isabella stood tense at her father's side and he rested a hand on her back as he spoke.

'I'm Carlisle,' Isabella's father replied calmly. 'This is my daughter, Isabella, and our family: Emmett and Jasper, Rosalie, Esme and Alice, Edward and Sophie.'

Laurent stared at her in curiosity but she tried to ignore it, she supposed that it was very often that you found a coven with a blood father and daughter.

'Do you have room for a few more players?' Laurent asked, his voice sounding friendly and chatty.

'Actually,' Carlisle said sounding apologetic, 'we were just finishing up. But we'd certainly be interested another time.' - Isabella resisted the urge to snort - 'Are you planning to stay in the area for long?'

'We're headed north, in fact, but we were curious to see who was in the neighbourhood. We haven't run into any company for a long time.'

'No, this region is usually empty except for us and the occasional visitor, like yourselves.'

A wave of calm had washed over the group and Isabella risked a glance at Jasper who winked at her from where he was standing by Emmett, she smiled and turned back to the friendly conversation her father was having.

'What's your hunting range?' Laurent asked and Isabella stared at him though this was a normal question for vampires most didn't ask them since it presumed they hunted humans - her father ignored the assumption.

'The Olympic Range here, up and down the Coast Rangers on occasions. We keep a permanent residence nearby. There's another permanent settlement like ours up near Denali.'

Laurent was shocked by that and rocked back on his heels, though his expression turned genuinely curious.

'Permanent? How do you manage that?'

'Why don't you come back to our home' - Isabella caught Victoria and James exchange surprised looks at the word home as though the idea was inconceivable for them but Laurent was in control of his expressions and maintained merely curious - 'with us and we can talk comfortable?' her father suggested and once again Isabella resisted the urge to let her real opinion about this be shown. 'It's a rather long story.'

'That sounds very interesting, and welcome,' Laurent replied seeming genuine. 'We've been on the hunt all the way down from Ontario, and we haven't had the chance to clean up in a while.'

He stared appreciably at how put together the family was though that was more Alice's influence on never letting them wear anything twice so the clothes had no time to get dirty, torn or frayed from wear. Then her father had to open his mouth.

'Please don't be offended,' he spoke calmly and imploringly as the other's tensed at his words, 'but we'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from hunting in this immediate area. We have to stay inconspicuous, you understand.'

They relaxed.

'Of course,' Laurent nodded as he replied. 'We certainly won't encroach on your territory. We just ate outside Seattle, anyway,' he laughed and Isabella once again fought the urges of her real emotions: vampire she may be but she could never take discussing a human's life so offhandedly.

''We'll show you the way if you'd like to run with us - Isa, Emmet and Alice, you can go with Edward and Sophie to get the jeep,' he casually added at the end, turning to glance in turn at the three he was speaking too.

But they had taken too long to leave and three things happened, probably at the same time for Sophie: the wind ruffled her hair, the whole family tensed, and James whipped his head around to face her with his nostrils flaring.

James took a step forward and slipped into a crouch at the same time Edward stepped protectively in front of Sophie, and a feral snarl ripped from Edward's throat.

'What's this?' Laurent exclaimed in open surprise. Neither of James nor Edward moved and Isabella kept her eyes fixed on the red head wondering where she stood in this.

'She's with us,' her father's stern rebuff was directed toward James. Laurent eventually caught Sophie's sent and the family tensed further.

'You brought a snack?' he asked and Isabella hissed slightly as he took a step forward though it sounded pathetic as Edward snarled again at the same time but Laurent stepped backwards move than he had stepped forward.

'I said she's with us,' Carlisle repeated, still calm but there was a hard, commanding note in it.

'But she's _human_,' Laurent protested but Isabella notes that he was merely amazed at this.

'Yes,' Emmett said in a hard voice appearing on the other side of Carlisle.

He glared at James who slowly rose from his crouch but Edward stayed put. When Laurent spoke again it was to diffuse the situation.

'It appears we have a lot to learn about each other.'

'Indeed,' Isabella flickered her eyes to her father to see that his face was hard.

'But we'd like to accept your invitation and we won't harm the human girl,' out of the corner of her eye Isabella saw James look at him angrily both sharing a glance with Victoria whose eyes the whole time had been flickering face to face. 'We won't hunt in your range, as I said.'

Isabella's father hesitated wondering, like his daughter was, how much power Laurent actually held over James.

'We'll show you the way. Jasper, Rosalie, Esme?' he called, they converged blocking Sophie from view and Isabella flittered, after kissing her father's cheek, over to Sophie and Edward with Emmett, though he fell back slowly with his eyes fixed on James.

They sped through the forest and when they got to the Jeep, Edward practically threw Sophie in the backseat and she didn't look very happy about that. He got in the driver's seat, Alice in the passenger while Emmett and Isabella clambered in the back on either side of Sophie.

'Where are we going?' Sophie asked after a while of Edward speeding along the road. No one answered; Emmett and Isabella actually had no idea.' Damn it, Edward, where are you taking me?'

'We have to get you away from here - far away - now,' he didn't turn around and Isabella narrowed her eyes.

'Turn around!' Sophie yelled. 'You have to take me home!'

She began tearing at the strap and Isabella felt she actually had a point.

'Izzy,' Edward said grimly.

'Sorry,' Isabella muttered and grabbed Sophie's hand to stop her.

'No! Edward! No, you can't do this!

'I have to, Sophie, now be quiet,' Isabella shook her head, Edward was treating her like a little kid

'I won't, Edward!' Sophie yelled and Isabella smirked, glad that she was standing up for herself. 'You have to take me back - Charlie will call the FBI! They'll be all over your family - Carlisle and Esme! They'll have to leave, to hide forever!'

'Calm down, Sophie,' Edward pushed her concerns aside coldly and Isabella felt her teeth snap together in irritation for Sophie.

'Not over me, you don't! You're not ruining everything over me!'

She continued struggling but her words were slowly making Isabella trust her.

'Edward, she's right,' the whole family look at her in surprise but Isabella only looked at Edward. 'We can't do this.'

'Edward, pull over,' Alice agreed but Edward just continued driving, actually getting fast. 'Edward, let's talk this through.'

'You don't understand!' he roared. 'He's a tracker, Alice, didn't you _see _that? He's a tracker!'

They all stiffened and Sophie looked around curiously.

'Edward, pull over,' everyone once again looked at Isabella except Edward who kept this eyes on the road speeding along at over one hundred and twenty miles per hour, her voice was reasonable but she made it ring with authority as she had done when she lived with Logan and Andie, because for some reason she had been the leader then, and she realised she sounded exactly like her father.

'Edward, do it,' Alice backed her up. 'Do it.'

'Listen to me, you two. I saw his mind. Tracking is his passion, his obsession - and he wants her - _her,_ specifically. He begins the hunt tonight.

'He doesn't know where -' Alice began but then Edward said something of sense.

'How long do think it will take him to cross her scent in town? His plan was already set before the words were out of Laurent's mouth.

Sophie gasped and Isabella knew what she was thinking off - her father. 'Charlie! You can't leave him there! You can't leave him!'

She began to thrash again.

'She's right,' Alice said and the car slowly slightly.

'Edward, pull over,' Isabella spoke up again. 'Let's just pull over for a second and look at the options.'

'There aren't any options, Isabella,' she retracted at his harsh voice using her full name but kept strong.

'Yes, there is,' she replied. 'I have an idea. You take her home -'

'No!' Edward snapped.

'Edward, listen to me,' her voice rang again. 'You take her home, Sophie will tell her dad she wants to go home and she'll pack her bags. We'll wait until the tracker is watching and then run. He'll follow us and leave Charlie alone -'

'Yes,' Sophie grinned beaming over at Isabella. 'Then Charlie won't call the FBI and you can take me any damn place you please.'

'That's a good idea,' Emmett agreed, still staring at Isabella.

'It might work,' Alice nodded, ' and we simply can't leave her father unprotected. You know that.'

They all turned to look at Edward and he dismissed the plan but it wasn't long before they managed to talk him into it as logic began working on him. Sophie was placid by the time they reached her house so Isabella released her hands and let her and Edward disappear into the house while Emmett, Alice and Isabella disappeared into the dark.

Esme and Sophie returned down the stairs to where they family had put together the groups, Esme having heard the conversation flickered to Isabella and Rosalie, wrapping an arm around her step-daughter while Carlisle handed her a disposable phone but, before turning to give Alice the same, he gave his daughter a stern look.

The whole family could see that Carlisle was nervous about leaving his daughter for the first time since he had found her and it was only intensified with the situation. He was torn, he didn't want her with him but he didn't want her not. He tried to convince himself that she was with Esme, who she loved, and therefore would not disappear, and Esme would allow no harm to come to her but it was difficult. That was until she changed her mind.

She danced away from Esme to Sophie's side and placed a hand on her arm and Sophie turned to look at her, surprised.

'I'll stay here and keep an eye on Charlie, I won't let anything happen to him, I promise,' Isabella spoke softly, her eyes flickering unnoticeable to her father, freezing as he hand Alice a phone. 'Mom and Rosalie will be taking your truck, by the way.'

Sophie stiffened wondering why Isabella was suddenly being so sweet when she still didn't trust her but then her eyes caught a flash of blonde behind the vampire speaking to her: her father. Sophie remembered suddenly how much Isabella _loved_ her father and therefore understood why Sophie was so unwilling to leave Charlie unprotected for even the shortest amount of time even though their relationship was nothing like Isabella's and Carlisle, and was immensely grateful to Edward's sister while her mind had been processing this, Carlisle had snapped, for the first time Sophie had ever seen, at his daughter.

'You'll do no such thing,' his voice echoed around the room and everyone looked at him in shock.

Sophie felt her anxiety rise up about Charlie as she realised that there was no way Carlisle was going to let Isabella stay here. He may understand why she wanted to but he also had to look out for her and he was in no way going to allow her to put her life in more danger than the rest of the family - in fact, it was a damn certain thing that he wouldn't let her be put in the same amount of danger as the rest of the family.

Isabella turned and gaped at her father, wondering what had gotten into him. He usually let her do whatever she wanted to unless it was thoroughly stupid or dangerous, he usually let her make her own mistakes in life and hardly ever told her what to do.

'Papa!' she complained, narrowing her eyes. 'I'm not eight anymore!'

Sophie had never imagine Carlisle as a particularly stern person but watching him stare down his daughter with the typical "I know best" parent look though it had a slight glare to it, she realised that he really could be when it came to Isabella. In a way that girl was unlucky to have her biological father because he was more attuned and protective of her than any of her adopted siblings but, of course, there were a thousand more upsides.

'You are not staying here alone,' he told her in a voice that said this was not up for negotiation but, surprisingly to everyone in the family who had yet to see an argument between these two, she did.

'I can take care of myself,' she assured him in a snapping voice.

The family stood awkwardly watching the two of them argue but they both seemed to realise they were wasting time. Isabella moved at vampire speed towards him and kissed his cheek before dancing out of his reach so he couldn't literally force her to do as he asked. She was gone before he could say another word.

Isabella ran without stopping to Sophie's house, making sure to travel out of view of the two vampires hunting Sophie, and perched on top of the house, hearing Charlie moving about within She felt bad for running out on her father but there was no way she was going to let him talk her out of this. Sophie would be constantly be worried about her father and he had to understand that, maybe he hasn't had one for years but he was one and should, therefore, understand. Besides Esme and Rosalie would be with her sooner or later and she wasn't going to run off. On the other hand, she knew he was going to furious with her when everything was sorted it or at least as furious as he ever gets.


	45. Disappointment

Chapter 42 – Disappointment

"**Don't blame others for disappointing you, blame yourself for expecting too much of them." - Unknown**

'Isabella Marissa Cullen,' his voice hissed and Isabella let her eyes flicker closed. He hardly ever used that tone with her, with anyone.

'I'm sorry, Papa,' she whispered before he could really start to lecture her as Esme had already done when she had come back to Forks.

Her eyes opened as she felt his hands rested gently on her shoulders and he slowly turned her around to face him. She could feel him looking at her but she kept her eyes fixated firmly on the ground. She wasn't ashamed of what she'd done, in fact she felt it was a good thing she had disobeyed him since while watching Charlie she had seen Victoria too many times for comfort, but she felt terrible for going against him: it was something she never would have even considered as a little girl back in the 1600s. She waited for him to speak but eventually she realised that he wouldn't and slowly raised her gaze to meets his.

He was angry, she could see it burning out of his eyes though his face wasn't emotive, but he seemed more upset and disappointed. She cringed away from him at the realisation of the last emotion, but his hands were now on her forearms making sure she couldn't run like the flight risk she was, and looked away again, not being able to bear to look into his eyes. Anger, she could handle but _disappointment _that was like a punch to the gut, it always had been. Disappointing someone was far worse than angering them.

She took a deep breath, 'just say something.'

'I don't have anything to say,' his voice was hard but not cold she was relieved to hear.

'I'm really sorry.'

'I know.'

His response made her look at him again. The anger was fading and _he_ knew it was because she was alright, his anger was only at her putting herself in danger, she, of course, didn't know that. He let go of her arms slowly, wondering if she, now she could, was going to run but he was pleasantly surprised.

Though the anger had faded from his eyes that just made the other two emotions stronger and as he slowly released her arms, she knew she couldn't allow herself to run. She had to get over the whole fight or flight response. She raised her arms and wrapped them round his neck, standing on her tip-toes, hugging him tightly – she was hoping that he would wrapped her safely in his arms and do half the battle of keeping her from running away. He sighed and his arms wrapped around her tightly, and she felt safe, no longer like the wanted to run. She buried her head in his neck, a little surprised that he didn't push her away.

'I'm sorry, I'm sorry worrying you, I'm really sorry for disobeying you, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,' she whispered it over and over again, all the things she was sorry for even if they weren't related to the reason he was upset with her.

'Ssh,' he whispered, rubbing her back as he realised how _sorry _she actually was - he'd known she was sorry all along but he didn't realise that disobeying and disappointing him had this much of an impact on her. 'It's alright, you're fine, that's all that matters to me, we're okay, everything's alright.'

Her grip tightened and he sighed, wishing she was still young enough that he could pick her up but she had grown so now she was only around ten inches shorter than him.

'I love you,' she murmured and he smiled against her hair, pressing a light kiss her head.

'I love you too and nothing is going to change that, I keep telling you that.'

He squeezed her tightly and then she slowly let go, lowering herself down on her heels. He pressed another kiss, this time her forehead, and then brushed a hand through her hair, smiling down at her, realising, despite his earlier thoughts, how young she still was. An adult perhaps in their time, married and with children on her own, but in this time she wasn't of age, she wouldn't even be allowed to get married without his or Esme's permission. She was still young and looking into her eyes he could tell she still needed him.

'Excuse me,' a soft but panicked voice interrupted and they turned away, Isabella wasn't sure what her father had been thinking about but his face had softened so much that she knew she was forgiven, but the voice wasn't speaking to them, instead to a nurse stood a few paces away from them. 'Do you know where I could find Sophie Swan?'

Before the nurse could reply, Isabela's father cleared his throat and spoke.

'Sorry, you must be Renee Dwyer,' he spoke, pulling Isabella by the hand toward the panicked woman who looked rather a lot like Sophie.

'Yes, who are you?' it was clear she didn't really want to keep talking but the nurse replied.

'This is Dr. Cullen, he's -'

'I know the name, thank you' Renee replied and the nurse nodded before disappearing. 'It's nice to meet you, Dr Cullen … what happened? Where's my daughter?'

'The pleasure's mind I assure you, Mrs Dwyer, and it's Carlisle, this is my daughter, Isabella,' he began, gesturing for her to walk with them, he was about to continue with answering her questions on Sophie's wellbeing but she cut him off.

'Isabella?' she repeated. 'I've heard a lot about you' - Isabella cringed on the inside wondering what Sophie would have said about Edward's untrusting youngest sister - 'Sophie's very fond of you.'

'Thank you, she's very kind,' Isabella replied taken by surprise. Sophie was _very fond _of her, that wasn't something she had expected since she hadn't exactly been very welcoming to the girl, or particularly that nice, maybe it was simply the fact that she had blocked her thoughts from Edward that made Sophie like her. 'She's in the room just around the corner.'

Carlisle filled Sophie's mother in as the rounded the corner and then let her in the room before pulling his own daughter back into his arms.

'Papa?' she asked softly, her father was affectionate, yes, but not usually as much.

He lifted her up slightly so her feet were dangling slightly off the floor and spun her round in a circle slowly, squeezing her so tightly that she was glad she didn't need to breathe.

'Papa! What's going on?' she smiled into his shoulder.

'Nothing,' he chuckled placing her back on the floor only to be given a raised eyebrow. 'I was just looking at Renee's panic and thinking how the last thing I'd want to lose is you... again and properly.'

Her face softened and she smiled sweetly up at him, 'you won't.'


	46. Best For Her

Chapter 43 – Best for Her

"**Sometimes leaving someone behind means that you only want the best for that person." – Unknown**

Sophie's birthday party had been a disaster. Sophie had cut her finger on an envelope and a single drop of blood dripped onto the floor sending Jasper into a frenzy. They all tried to grab him but Edward sent Sophie flying back into a table before pushing Jasper away but Sophie's fall but cut her arm and made the whole situation work. It wasn't Jasper's fault, he was just sensing the rest of the family's blood lust on top of his own and Isabella wished she could help him but his gift was mental so she couldn't. She had then sat with her father as he stitched Sophie up trying, when her father wasn't answering Sophie's questions, to keep her distracted from the pulling on her arm.

'Family meeting,' Edwards's voice said through the house.

It had been three days since the party, four months since the fight in Phoenix, and since then he had been an unreachable grouch to the whole family and Isabella was worried what was going on in that mind of his because when he got like this it was never good even she knew that. There was a flurry of movement as the whole family gathered in the dining room with Edward at one head of the table and Carlisle at the other. The table had four chairs along the side so there was a chair gap on either side as the family filled in around them - Isabella on her father's side and Esme on his other.

'Edward's about to make a huge mistake,' Alice said.

'What is it, Edward?' Carlisle asked, linking his hands together.

'It's simple really -' Edward began but Alice cut him off.

'Yeah, it's simple, it's _really_ simple,' she snapped at him, 'what you're planning is wrong so don't do it.'

'We need to leave,' he said bluntly ignoring her completely and the whole family, besides Alice of course, swivelled their head to stay at him in shock all thinking the exact same thing: what about Sophie? However, they all knew the answer.

'I'd was afraid you'd say that,' Carlisle sighed.

'Edward...' Esme whispered.

'What I've been doing is wrong,' Edward continued, 'I've been putting her in so much danger because I'm too selfish to leave her alone. We're dangerous to her and she should have a chance at a normal human life. She can move on, find a human boyfriend, forget about me, and just live.'

'Edward-' Jasper opened his mouth.

'It's not your fault,' Alice and Isabella said together, and then Isabella turned to Edward.

'Edward, you can't do this,' she told him calmly. 'You can't honestly believe that if we left she would just forget about you and move on - it would kill her. If she loves even half as much as I loved my husband, which I know she does, then she won't be able to move on. You will break her heart if you do this to her, Edward. If you do, I will _never_ forgive you.'

Though Alice nodded along to everything she was saying, Isabella was the only one of the family who actually had any experience in the heartbreak of losing the one you thought was forever. The rest of the family all still had their soul mates but Isabella had lost hers, she knew she had, lost hers before she even really got a chance to be with him and here Edward was chucking away the only girl who would tolerate his over-protective tendencies which made him treat her like a child sometimes, the only one who would be patient with him as much as he need. Isabella may still not be as close with Sophie as Alice was but she knew that Sophie was Edward's mate - it was a fact that everyone in the family knew and mates couldn't stay away from each other without immense pain.

'It's not the same, Isabella.' Edward said in a hard voice.

He had been so short with her lately and she had no idea why, maybe it was because their reason for bonding - the couples surrounding them who wanted their alone time - was now no longer relevant when Edward was one of them or maybe it was because he was gone all day and all night only really dropping in the say a few words to Isabella's father and stepmother before disappearing again or with Sophie when she wanted to see the family.

'You don't know anything about it, Edward,' she whispered, 'maybe my husband died but you are planning on disappearing as though you had never been there and taking an entire family, an entire future, with you.'

'Isa's right, Edward,' her father spoke up, 'you can't do this.'

'Why not?' Rosalie snapped. 'She isn't one of us. She shouldn't have been exposed to this.'

'Rose,' Emmett placed a hand on her leg sending her a pleading look.

'No, Emmett, _Rose _is right,' Edward growled, glaring over at Isabella. 'Sophie shouldn't have been put into this world, she doesn't belong.'

'You don't believe that, Edward,' Alice frowned.

'We are dangerous for her, can't you people see that?' Edward complained as she opened her mouth to continue speaking. 'We're bad for her - Jasper proved that yesterday well enough.'

'Edward!' Alice and Isabella growled while Esme scolded.

'Leave Jasper out of this, Edward,' Isabella practically ordered. 'This is just you being a fool.'

She could have said worse but her years of growing up in the 1600's, the expectations of that time, and having her father sitting just beside her she stuck to a light insult.

'A jerk of a fool,' Alice added. 'You can't make decisions like this for her, Edward, it's wrong.'

'No,' Edward countered, 'what's wrong is staying and putting her at risk every goddamn time we're near her.'

'God, Edward,' Emmett finally spoke in an irritated tone of voice that was completely unlike him, 'if you weren't so stubborn and got your mind of this danger track which you seem to be stuck on you'd be able to see the logic Isabella and Alice are saying. They're right and you're going to make a huge mistake if you force us to leave.'

Edward turned and shot him a glare as well and Isabella wondered what he expected: that they would all jump up and start packing as soon as he said they were leaving? He had to know them better than that.

'Edward, let's go have a talk,' Carlisle said rising from the table: sitting there was getting them nowhere but into arguments.

No one else moved until the came back and that was a reasonably long time but they were vampires and could still for years if they had to as long as no food came along to tempt them into moving. When they walked back in their expressions told them what decision had been made before Carlisle opened his mouth to tell them.

'We're going to go.'

Isabella shook her head at her father as Alice stormed out the room before following her at a slower pace, shooting Edward a glance that actually made him wince. Her father lightly grabbed her arm as she walked past but she shook him off and he let her go. As she left, she saw him go to Esme's side who looked like she was about to cry and it caused her to turn around to go to her mother's other side, comforting her from the pain her son, and a little of her husband, had caused her whilst ignoring her father thoroughly. It would be a few weeks before she could bring herself to speak to him again.


	47. Take the Good, the Bad and Breathe

Chapter 44 – Take the Good, the Bad, and Breathe

"**Whatever will be will be; I've learned to take the good, the bad and breathe because although we like to know what life's got planned, no one knows if shooting stars will land." – Vanessa Hudgens (Whatever Will Be)**

Isabella felt horrible for her step-mother who, because of Edward, had lost two children in the matter of only a few weeks: him and Sophie and Isabella had been more distant from the family. Edward had only dropped in three times in the last seven months and his phone calls were only a bit more frequent. Isabella never spoke to him; she promised him that she would never forgive him and, though she doubted it would really be _never_, she was going to keep it up for as long as possible, which was easy since she was so mad at him. Esme, on the other hand, was heartbroken and Isabella tried her best to cheer her up since Alice was completely wrecked as well - or at least as wrecked as the ball of energy that is Alice could ever get. The tension in the family was killing Jasper with his gift and Isabella really wished that she could help him but her shield was useless against Jasper's power.

Esme was out hunting at the moment with Isabella's father which would last a few days so it was just Emmett, Rosalie, Isabella, Alice and Jasper in the house. Rosalie was probably the least affected by leaving Sophie but Isabella could tell that she did miss Edward even if it was just a little and only because she had no one to rib on.

Isabella heard Alice gasp and ran to find her on the floor causing her to freeze in the doorway. Jasper ran past her and crouched down by Alice.

'Sophie!' she moaned pulling at her short hair.

'Al! Ali!' Jasper shook her gently trying to bring her back to them: Edward didn't want her looking at Sophie's future anymore. 'Alice!'

Alice's eyes stayed staring off in a far off way to something only she could see that Isabella had learnt to recognise as a vision but this time they were moving as though searching for something in the distance.

'No,' she whispered, still not really in the room but slowly coming back. 'No, No.'

'Alice,' Isabella tried softly as finally Alice's eyes returned to normal, focused on Isabella, pain burning out of her eyes.

'Alice, what happened?' Jasper asked gently, pulling her to her feet and allowing her to lean against him.

'Sophie. She jumped … she jumped off a cliff. There was nothing I could do. She didn't come up,' Alice explained in short sentences. 'She's dead.'

They all cringed and Isabella used almost all of her strength to not think about how Edward and Esme would react - Esme who had jumped off a cliff herself to try and end her life ... but there was no vampire to save Sophie like Carlisle had saved Esme. Emmett and Rosalie appeared on either side of Isabella.

'Why would she jump?' Emmett asked frowning.

'Edward?' Isabella suggested remembering how she had been when Alec died.

'Did you even ... when your husband -?' Jasper didn't finish his sensitive question.

'I thought about,' Isabella admitted honestly for the first time in her vampire life and their eyes widened, 'but I was pregnant, I had a reason not. I was depressed twice in my life and the one were my husband died was the worst but in the first one I did turn to self-harm though never suicide.'

Emmett tightly hugged Isabella, his baby sister who had been through so much, as Alice shrieked in anger.

'What has Edward done?! How could he?' then she paused as a new idea struck her. 'How are we going to tell him?'

'Well, we could just… not,' Emmett suggested awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck but keeping an arm around Isabella's shoulder.

'He has the right to know,' Rosalie snapped back at him. 'Besides perhaps now that she's dead things can go back to the way they were and …'

This argument went on for a while before Alice announced that she was going back to Forks to see if she could help Charlie in anyway.

'Darlin', we can't interfere,' Jasper tried to stop her. 'We promised Edward to leave that family alone and he promised Sophie that we would never bother 'em again.'

'Well, Sophie isn't there anymore, is she,' Alice snapped at him though it seemed to pain her immensely to say it.

She began to walk away to her room to grab at least something when Isabella spoke up, 'can I come, Ali?'

She seemed surprised at Isabella's request as did the rest of the family but Alice smiled and nodded, taking her hand and pulled her out of the room. On the way to Forks, Isabella left a cryptic message on her father's phone and told him that Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett would explain when he and Esme returned from their hunting trip, just so he wouldn't think she had left completely, though if he thought she could do that to Esme at this time then he didn't know her very well causing Esme even the slightest bit of pain right now would be enough to haunt you for the rest of your existence and probably even after it.


	48. Disappointed

Chapter 45 – Disappointed

"**I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed." **

Isabella was even more furious with Edward now than she had been four days ago because he was such an insensitive jerk at times. Sophie was dead so he was going to cause the whole family more pain by going to the Volturi and getting himself killed. Isabella knew she was being a bit hypocritical since she had thought about suicide but she had never actually done it. How could he do this to Esme, who was there sweet, caring, loving mother and who loved him more than anything because he was her first son? To her father? To the rest of the family?

Alice raced through the Italian roads and fields rushed by while Isabella tried to keep Sophie from having a panic attack. Isabella couldn't believe she was breaking her self-imposed rule of never meeting the Volturi for the brother she was furious with but he was her brother and it seemed that despite how they had drifted apart recently she was still willing to risk her life to save him.

Getting into Volterra was a nightmare and Isabella tuned out as Alice explained why to Sophie: St. Marcus Day. For some reason, and she was pretty sure it was all that Logan had told her about the Volturi, there was a distressed feeling building up in her stomach, a feeling of foreboding telling her this was going to end badly for someone. She tried not to show this to Sophie who was panicked enough as it was.

Once she started running toward the square, Alice and Isabella parked the car inconspicuously and then skulked around the back streets in the shadows to reach the clock tower ourselves. When we got there Edward was crouched protectively in front of Sophie with two tall cloaked vampires in front of them. Alice danced to his side.

'Let's behave ourselves, shall we? There are ladies present,' Isabella smiled at her words, remembering back to when that would have been a large issue. She followed Alice.

'Yes, you wouldn't want to cause a scene,' she said, surprising glad of all the knowledge Logan had given her on them.

'We wouldn't,' one of the vampires said.

'We're not alone,' Alice jerked her head down the alley we were standing in to where a family all dressed in red stood. Both Alice and Isabella shot a wary look at Edward's protective stance that was their sign of distress.

'Please, Edward, let's be reasonable,' the other one said and from what Logan had told me all those years ago I guess at Demetri, the Volturi tracker.

'Let's,' Edward agreed through clenched teeth, 'and we'll leave quietly now, with no one the wiser.'

'At least let us discuss this more privately,' Demetri implored.

'No,' Edward answered shortly but then everything changed as a darker cloak walked up.

'Enough.'

Isabella was sure that had her heart not already been still it would have stopped or at least stuttered now. Standing in front of them draped in a dark cloak, her once enchanting blue eyes burning red, was her sister-in-law. Very much alive but very not herself.

Jane's blank expression dropped at the sight of her sister-in-law standing beside Edward Cullen, Alice Cullen and the human. The unneeded breath was knocked from her lungs at Isabella, looking exactly the same as she remembered her, meaning only one thing: there hadn't been much time difference between their two transformations. She thought of her brother back further in the castle, having no idea the woman he loved was still alive and was standing in the same city. Jane's eyes focused on her sister-in-law to note that her golden eyes were narrowing both, Jane was sure, in confusion and disappointment.

'Jane,' Edward said subdued and he straightened up, relaxing in defeat as Alice crossed her arms. Isabella's eyes jumped between everyone completely confused.

Isabella had no doubt to who it was but hearing Edward confirm it sent a wave of pain through her. She loved her sister-in-law but given where they were, the uncaringness that Jane had spoken with, the colour of her cloak which Logan had told her the system off, told her this was not her Jane anymore.

'Follow me,' Jane said and walked away at a high speed.

Alice walked after her at once and Edward pulled Sophie along beside her. Isabella hesitated for a second, long enough for Alice to look at her in confusion. Obviously she was so focused on trying to predict whether they could all get home that Isabella's past creeping up was not worth a vision. They followed Jane down a narrowing alley way, down a drain and through a serious a creepy tunnels that Isabella kept thinking Jane would have hated when she was human because of the rats and things that could have been lurking down there. Eventually they entered a post reception area where a pretty human girl sat. Isabella shivered as she remembered Logan telling her about the fate most of these girls got.

'Gianna,' Jane nodded but continued to another sent of double doors made of wood.

They walked through it and into another area where a vampire stood, a vampire that made Isabella sway slightly. Standing in a pearl grey suit, hands buried deep in his pockets, was Alec, still as handsome as ever but Isabella could feel her heart breaking even more rather than being repaired at the sight of him. He came forward to meet them, smiling and reaching for Jane.

'Jane.'

The voice washed over Isabella and she suddenly felt weak. She put a hand to her mouth to make sure she didn't make a sound as she felt a sob wreck through her body and slid behind Edward and Sophie, both of whom were taller than her - Sophie by six inches and Edward by eight - so she could easily hide behind them.

'Alec,' Jane's said.

Alec heard the wavering in his sisters voice but unsure what it could be about pushed it aside until it could be addressed, embracing her gently before turning to the visitors.

'They send you out for one and you come back with three … and a half,' he noted. 'Nice work.'

Behind Edward, Isabella cringed at his words but Jane laughed, though her eyes were burning into her brothers to tell him to "_shut up_".

'Welcome back, Edward,' Alec said in a friendly tone that was cold and detached and just _not him_ to Isabella's ears. Not her funny, warm Alec. 'You seem in a better mood.'

Edward glared at him, wondering why, at the sight of him, his youngest, his most broken, sister hid behind him. What had he done to her?

'Marginally,' was his response, his voice hard and cold. Alec chuckled and Isabella squeezed her eyes shut, trying to blank it out before she broke down.

'And this is the cause of all the trouble? He asked sceptically.

'Dibs,' Felix said from where he was standing and Isabella opened her eyes to look right at him, they burned hard and dangerously.

Alice placed a hand on Edwards arm as he began to turn, snarling, while Isabella placed one on his back. Felix raised and hand and curled his fingers twice with a grin on his face, gesturing Edward on.

'Calm, Edward,' Isabella whispered before Alice could speak

It was the first time Jane had heard her sister-in-law speak and, though it had an extra ring to it, it sounded so familiar and comforting. She glanced at her brother to see if he recognised it and from his tense, frozen position she assumed he had.

Isabella kept an eye on Felix and as he moved around to the side of Sophie that had no protection, she took a deep breathe knowing that Alec probably already knew she was here from her voice, stepped to Sophie's other side, keeping her eyes fixed on Felix. She heard a sharp intake of breathe and without meaning to her eyes flickered to Alec.

Isabella was even more beautiful than she was when she was human and Alec- remembered her perfectly, having seen her after he was changed. However, there was a hardness, a sharpness, in her eyes that he knew hadn't been there before. An authority and confidence to her stance. A downward turn of her eyebrows and mouth that told of sorrows and disappointments that he couldn't possible understand. Despite all that, he could see a spark in her eyes that he recognised but as pleased as he was to see her alive, she didn't seem at all happy to see him and Jane and, being perfectly honest, he couldn't blame her in the slightest.

He had heard of her. This beauty - the most beautiful vampire - of blonde hair and golden eyes that was the only other person the vampire world knew off who hadn't killed a human in their existence - the other, of course, being her father who Alec had avoided like the plague while Carlisle was in Volterra, knowing exactly who he was and the likeness that Carlisle held to his daughter was just too painful. He had only heard of Isabella by her first name and assumed it was just a coincidence. Now he wished he hadn't. Pulling himself together he spoke.

'Aro will be pleased to see you again,' he said trying not to let it show that he knew who she was. He _couldn't_ care about her anymore.

'Let's not keep him waiting,' Jane added, taking his hand and the two of them began walking down another corridor and Isabella began to wonder if the hallways would ever end. It was then into a hidden antechamber and finally into a tower room with three wooden thrones and a drain which Isabella knew to be for bodies and blood.

There were a few people in there who turned when they entered and the one Isabella knew to be Aro from the portrait in her father's office and Logan's tales spoke first.

'Jane, dear one, you have returned!' he was obviously delighted as he cried this in what almost sounded like a sigh.

He ghosted forward in the most graceful way Isabella had ever seen and out of the corner of her eyes she noticed Sophie's mouth drop causing her to fight a small smile. He went straight to Jane and kissed her lightly on her lips causing Isabella to raise her eyebrows and then he floated back a step.

'Yes, Master,' Jane smiled. 'I brought him back alive, just as you wished.'

'Ah, Jane, you are such a comfort to me,' Aro returned her smile fondly. He then turned his gaze towards Isabella and her family, clapping his hands together at the sight of them 'And Alice and Sophie, too! This is a happy surprise! Wonderful! But who is this young lady?'

Alec and Jane seemed unable to answer however they all knew it was a rhetorical question.

'You must be Isabella Cullen or is it Carmichael?' he ghosted towards Isabella, who forced a smile. 'I've heard a great deal about you from Alec, Jane, your fathers and Edward's thoughts.'

He continued to glide forward as Isabella watched warily before kissing her on both cheeks.

'Your father must be ecstatic to have you back,' he stated and Isabella felt her lips twitch into a real smile at the mention of her father's recent behaviour – though perhaps recent wasn't the best term now since recently she had only been speaking to him when it was necessary and she knew it was hurting him.

Alice laughed breaking the downward spiral Isabella was beginning to fall into – Alice was good at sensing when she was. Her sister drifted around Edward to the other side of Isabella to take a grasp on her hand – Alice understood why Isabella was treating her father the way she was.

'He has been on a high,' she told Aro before he turned to the escort that Isabella didn't know.

'Felix, be a dear and tell my brothers about our company. I'm sure they wouldn't want to miss this.'

'Yes, Master,' Felix nodded and disappeared.

'You see, Edward?' Aro turned back to them smiling another fond smile at Edward though his tone was slightly scolding. 'What did I tell you? Aren't you glad that I didn't give you what you wanted yesterday?'

'Yes, Aro, I am,' Edward replied in a tight voice

'I love a happy ending,' Aro sighed and Isabella resisted the urge to give him a strange look: this was the man Logan had drilled into her to fear. 'They are so rare. But I want the whole story. How did this happen? Alice? Your brother seemed to think you infallible, but apparently there was some mistake.'

'Oh, I'm far from infallible,' Alice grinned trying to see as at ease as possible, though her hand was gripping Isabella's harder than was normal. 'As you can see today, I cause problems as often as I cure them.'

'You're too modest,' Aro chided her. 'I've seen some of your most amazing exploits, and I must admit I've never observed anything like your talent. Wonderful.' - Alice shot Edward a confused looking wondering what was going on - 'I'm sorry, we haven't been introduced properly at all, have we? You and poor Isabella must be so confused. It's just I feel like I know you already, and I tend to get ahead of myself. Your brother introduced us yesterday, in a peculiar way. You see, I share some of your brother's talent, only I am limited in a way he is now.'

'And also exponentially more powerful,' Edward added before speaking to Alice and Isabella. 'Aro needs physical contact to hear your thoughts, but he hears much more than I do. You know I can only hear what's passing through your head in the moment, Aro hears every thought you mind has ever had.'

Isabella cringed now understanding his comment from before and realised how much Aro must know about her and her family though they had never met.

'But to be able to hear from a distance … that would be so convenient.' Two others entered the room behind, ghosting just as Aro had and the trio from her father's painting was complete: Marcus and Caius had arrived. 'Marcus, Caius, look! Sophie is alive after all, and Alice is here with her! And we finally can meet Carlisle's beloved daughter! Isn't that wonderful?'

Wonderful was definitely not in Caius or Marcus' definition for this moment.

'It's nice to meet you, Isabella,' Marcus droned, his tone matching his bored facial expression.

'Let us have the story,' Aro said happily as the two newcomers floated to their thrones. Marcus stopped on his way and placed his hand in Aro and Isabella eyes narrowed in suspicion as to why he didn't speak he's thoughts aloud. 'Thank you, Marcus, that's quite interesting. Amazing. Absolutely amazing.'

'Marcus sees relationships,' Edward told Alice, Isabella and Sophie taking in their irritated expressions. 'He's surprised by the intensity of ours and by ours I mean all of ours not just mine and Sophie's.'

Edward glanced at Isabella and she managed to smile at him despite their recent tension. Tension seemed to describe her relationship with Edward, her father and Sophie at the specific moment.

'So convenient,' Aro sighed. 'It takes quite a bit to surprise Marcus, I can assure you. It's just so difficult to understand, even now. How can you stand so close to her like that?'

'It's not without effort,' Edward turned back to him with a cold expression but Aro's gaze moved over to his friends only child who was standing on Sophie's other side.

'Isabella though seems to have no problem,' Aro remarked, studying her.

'Izzy's like her father,' Edward said sounding a little proud as he smiled over at Isabella, though his gaze jumped to Alec for a second still wondering in a small corner of his mind what had caused Isabella's reaction to him, 'never killed a human.'

'Fascinating,' Aro grinned and clapped his hands together, 'must be a family trait. Ah, how I miss my friend Carlisle. You remind me of him - only he wasn't so cut off.'

Isabella finally smiled truthfully, 'Papa outshines me in many ways.'

'I am gratified by his success,' Aro continued as though she hadn't spoken. 'Edward's memories of him are quite a gift to me, though they astonish me exceedingly. I am surprised by how it … pleases me, his success in this unorthodox path he's chosen. I expected that he would waste, weaken with time. '(she flinched)' - sorry dear. I'd scoffed at his plan to find others who would share his peculiar vision. Yet, somehow, I am happy to be wrong.'

'I'll be sure to pass that on.'

'That would most kind of you to send him my regards,' Aro smiled and began to move forward. 'May I?'

Isabella eyed his hand warily wondering why on earth he would want to read her thoughts when he had Edwards, Jane's and Alec's memories of her and Edward's thoughts on her father but, one she had removed her shield and made to block its existence out of his memory once he had it, she placed her hand in his. His gaze drifted for a moment rather like Alice did when she was having a vision but eventually he pulled back.

'Such an interesting life you've led,' he laughed before turning around to Sophie. 'Sophie, I'm fascinated that you are an exception to Edwards impressive talent' -Isabella resisted the urge to grin as Edward looked over at her. She had used her shield to make it seem like it was Sophie's power, present in her human life, that made it so Edward couldn't read her thoughts and since they entered Volterra her shield had only been around Sophie. The only problem with her shield, she had discovered, was that she felt a push on it when a power hit it - '- so very interesting that such a thing should occur! And I was wondering since our talents are similar in many ways, if you would be so kind as to allow me to try - to see if you are an exception for me, as well.'

Sophie didn't hesitate to place her hand in Aro's because she knew Isabella was focusing her shield on her. Aro concentrated for a second before eventually Aro pulled back, his smile gone from his face.

'So very interesting,' he murmured. 'A first. I wonder if she is immune to our other talents … Jane, dear?'

'No!' Edward yelled.

'Yes, Master?' Jane asked.

She sounded wary. Jane really didn't want Isabella to know what her talent was since by the look on her face she didn't already. Alec tensed beside her – no matter what had changed about Isabella there was no way she'd be happy about Jane's gift and if she was then Alec would be completely destroyed because then his wife was gone even if technically she was still there.

'I was wondering, my dear one, if Sophie is immune to you.' Aro said over Edward's snarling that had begun as soon as he said Jane's name

Caius drifted closer and Edward moved himself in front of Sophie and Isabella wondered what gift her sister-in-law had.

'Don't!' Alice suddenly gasped and Isabella looked to see Edward start to push of the pounce at Jane.

'Edward, no!' she cried, reaching for him but he was just out of her reach when she got to where he had been. Jane may not be Jane anymore but Isabella couldn't bear to see her attacked by Edward.

But before any of them could move forward, Edward froze and dropped to the floor, cringing in agony. Isabella's gaze widened slightly before realising this was Jane's gift and wondered why it didn't click in her head sooner - the witch twins. She felt like she might cry all over again.

'Stop!' Sophie's shriek bought her out of her thoughts and Alice threw her arms around Sophie.

As Alice did that, Isabella dropped to her knees by Edward. It took everything in her to not glare at Jane and to not move her shield over Edward. She placed her hands on his chest as though she could draw the pain away from him because she couldn't stand to see Edward in such pain. To give him credit he was staying silent but it still was hard to watch his face contort in pain.

Sophie was still shrieking from Alice's arms and Edward took Isabella's hand, squeezing it painfully hard. She winced and thought for a second that Edward seemed in less pain. She glanced up at Jane, practically begging her with her eyes to stop, enough was enough. Jane didn't meet her eyes.

'Jane,' Aro called softly and she turned to look at him, as soon as she did Edward stop writhing. Aro nodded his head toward a struggling Sophie and Jane turned.

'This may hurt just a bit,' she said and Isabella resisted the urge to glare but Sophie's gaze was still focused on Edward.

'He's fine, don't worry,' Isabella said to Sophie softly as Edward jumped up pulling her with him with the hand he still had hold of.

Sophie glared at Isabella knowing she could have protected Edward from that but Isabella didn't seem fazed. In fact, she just stared at her and Sophie realised why Isabella hadn't protected Edward because it would mean all their deaths and now she was focusing her power consciously on her.

Isabella couldn't help herself as she glanced over at Alec. He was giving her an amused but slightly pleased look: he knew it was her doing this not Sophie, she just had to hope he didn't tell his masters. She winced as Jane's power continued to prod painfully at her shield before smoothing her face out, she couldn't give it away.

'Ha, ha, ha,' Aro's voice suddenly laughed and Isabella jolted slightly as Jane suddenly shut off her power. 'This is wonderful. She confounds us all. So what do we do with you know?' - he turned to Edward - 'I don't suppose there's any change that you've changed your mind? You talent would be an excellent addition to our little company.'

'I'd … rather … not,' Edward spoke carefully, weighing every word before he said it.

'Alice?' Aro turned to her. 'Would you perhaps be interested in joining us?'

'No, thank you,' Alice replied politely.

'What about you, dear Isabella?'

His eyes flickered towards Jane and Alec but he didn't seem to realise that she didn't want to be near those two when they were happy here because they weren't them. Even reading her thoughts, he didn't understand besides she had her father now and he would be heartbroken if she left. She had to fix what they had broken when they left Forks.

'No,' Isabella said softly as though trying not to offend him.

Neither Jane or Alec seemed surprised. Alec let out a silent breath. He adored his wife, still did, and would do anything to make her happy but there was no way he would have her here, there was no way she could survive the Volturi. On the outside, however, he kept up an uncaring mask.

'And you, Sophie?' Aro asked in a last ditch effort and the whole family of Cullen raised their eyebrows.

'What?' Caius snapped before Sophie could speak.

'Caius, surely you can see the potential. I haven't seen a prospective talent so promising since we found Jane and Alec 'Aro said as he went as far as to shot Isabella an apologetic look that she didn't believe for a second. 'Can you imagine the possibilities when she is one of us?'

Isabella swallowed though she knew Sophie would never accept and suddenly wondered what the Volturi would do if they found out that Sophie didn't have a gift, or at least, not the gift they believed her to have. Edward fought the urge to send her a worried glance realising that Carlisle would kill him for allowing Isabella to do this.

'No, thank you,' Sophie spoke up before an argument could result.

'That's unfortunate,' Aro said heavily. 'Such a waste.'

'Join or die, is that it? -' Edward snarled

'Edward,' Isabella spoke in warning glancing around the room.

'-I suspected as much when we were brought to this room,' he continued not taking heed. 'So much for your laws.'

'Edward,' Alice hissed this time.

'Of course not,' Aro seemed positively baffled by the words Edward was shooting at him. 'We were already convened here, Edward, awaiting Heidi's return. Not for you.'

'Aro,' Caius spoke up angrily, 'the law claims them.'

'How so? Edward asked.

'She knows too much,' he pointed at Sophie with a finger. 'You have exposed our secrets.'

'There are a few humans in on your charade here, as well,' Edward reminded her and Isabella shivered remembering Gianna.

'Yes,' Caius shot them a horrible smile, 'but when they are no longer useful to us, they will serve to sustain us. That is not your plan for this one. If she betrays our secrets, are you prepared to destroy her? I think not. Just as I can tell Alec here is unwilling to let us kill his little wife even though we can all tell that she isn't happy with him in the slightest.'

Edward's teeth snapped together and Isabella glared at the comment "little wife" but Sophie and Alice's heads span towards Isabella distracted by the new revelation. Isabella looked anywhere but at Alec and Jane before Sophie saved her by speaking.

'I wouldn't-' Sophie began to say but Caius continued.

'Nor do you intend to make her one of us. Therefore, she is a vulnerability. Though it is true, for this, only her life is forfeit. You may leave if you wish.' - Edward barred his teeth - 'That's what I thought.'

'Unless … unless you do intent to give her immortality?' Aro suggested looking unhappy.

Isabella and Alice shared a glance remembering their promise to Sophie on the place that they would change if it came down to it.

'And if I do?' Edward asked but Isabella knew he didn't mean it in even the tiniest way.

'Why, then you would be free to go home and give my regards to my friend Carlisle but I'm afraid you would have to mean it,' the last words were spoken hesitantly.

'Mean it,' Sophie ordered Edward.

Alice sent Isabella a look and she spoke up, stepping forward slightly. Isabella was probably the one Aro trusted most here simply because of her blood.

'You've already seen that Alice and I promised her on the plane that we would transform her if Edward refused and we won't change of minds,' she spoke confidently with that ring of authority in her voice. 'No matter how much my darling brother grinds his teeth behind me besides Alice has seen it.'

Isabella turned to look at Alice and she flittered forward to Aro and placed her hand in his. He bent over it and seemed positively fascinated by what he was seeing of Alice's life

'Ha, ha, ha, that is fascinating!' Aro exclaimed but Alice didn't seem as impressed for him to have all her thoughts.

'I'm glad you enjoyed it,' she replied.

'To see things that you've seen - especially the ones that haven't happen yet!'

'But that will,' Alice assured him.

'Yes, yes, it's quite determined. Certainly there's no problem.' Aro rambled and Isabella sent as a victorious glace.

'Aro,' Caius spoke and Isabella remembered Logan telling her that Caius was a violent person: he liked things to end in fights or at least fight to get what he wants rather than to talk it through.

'Dear Caius, do not fret,' Aro began to assure him. 'Think of the possibilities! They do not join us today, but we can always hope for the future. Imagine the hoy young Alice alone would bring to our little household … Besides, I'm so terribly curious to see how Sophie turns out!'

Once again, Isabella felt something stab at her and Alec sent her a worried look that she didn't notice.

'Then we are free to go now?' Edward asked, relief clear in his voice.

'Yes, yes, but please visit again. It's been absolutely enthralling,' Aro said and Isabella shot him a concerned look, he clearly needed to get his hands on a dictionary for he seemed to be using his words wrong.

'And we will visit you as well,' Caius threatened, 'to be sure that you follow through on your side. Where I you, I would not delay too long. We do not offer second chances.'

Edward clenched his jaw and nodded causing Caius to smirk as he finally drifted back towards Marcus. Felix behind us let out a groan

'Ah, Felix, Heidi will be here at any moment. Patience.' Aro smiled pleasantly at him and Isabella cringed lightly at the reminder.

'In that case,' she spoke. 'I think it's best we depart now.'

'Yes,' Aro agreed sadly, 'that's a good idea. Accidents do happen. Please wait below until after dark, though, if you don't mind.'

'Of course not,' Isabella replied with a kind smile although she really did and she could tell Sophie did as well. 'Best not to go out in the sun.'

'Best not' he agreed gesturing Felix toward him, taking the grey cloak off him and chucking it to Edward, 'and here, Edward, take this. You're a little conspicuous.' - Edward took it and threw it over his shoulders leaving the hood down over them. Aro sighed - 'It suits you.'

Edward forced himself to chuckle, 'thank you, Aro.' - he cut off as they heard voices - 'We'll wait below.'

'Goodbye, my young friends,' was Aro's parting words as he stared at the door behind them in hunger for the humans coming down the corridor.

'Let's go,' Edward said urgently and they back away, turning around once they got to the door. Edward practically dragged Sophie as they speedily walked away.

'Not quick enough,' Alice murmured in distress.


	49. Stength for the Day Comfort for the Tear

Chapter 46 – Strength for the Day and Comfort for the Tears

"**God didn't promise days without pain, **

**Laughter without sorrow, sun without rain,**

**But he did promise strength for the day,**

**Comfort for the tears and light for the way." - Unknown**

It was torture sitting in the Volturi until night fell but eventually Alec, causing Isabella to pull a face, appeared again.

'You're free to leave now,' he said, looking at Edward and completely ignoring the fact that Isabella existed. 'We ask that you don't linger in the city.'

'That won't be a problem,' Edward almost snorted as the four of them rose, Isabella expected Alec to leave then but he didn't and Gianna spoke.

'Follow the right hallway around the corner to the first set of elevators,' she said. 'The lobby is two floors down and exits into the street.

They nodded and moved quickly toward the exits, Isabella and Alice remembering to pick up the items that they had used to hide their skin from the sun though now they didn't need it. They were just about to enter the right hallway when Alec spoke again.

'Izzy,' though Alice, Edward and Sophie had turned around when he spoke they turned around when they realised he was speaking to Isabella in particular though Edward fought a growl at his tone: harsh, hard and bored. Alice glared. Isabella was the last to turn; she squeezed her eyes shut before she did so.

She looked back at him, feeling her heart break at the sight of him, at the memories she had about the witch twins and though she had never heard their names it was obviously her husband and his sister. She shook her head slowly, though what he was going to say didn't require a nod or shake and backed away toward Alice.

'Goodbye, Alec,' she whispered quietly.

She turned away from him and forced herself to walk away; Alice sighed and followed her as did Edward and Sophie.

Isabella could feel Alice's eyes burning into her all the way home, no doubt wanting to question her about the turn events that she hadn't seen. Isabella felt like crying and had sobbed for a while in Alice's arms at the beginning on the flight back but even though she had calmed herself down there was still a heavy weight in her heart that ached painfully.

Her father and step-mother were standing together waiting for them in a quiet corner. Feeling stupid for getting so upset about Alec, who obviously wasn't_ her_ Alec anymore, she ran straight to her father, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her head in his chest. He was surprised since that was probably the first piece of physical affection she had shown him in a while. She could hear Esme scolding Edward, thanking Sophie and knew that Jasper and Alice were sharing a simple reunion but none of that mattered to her anymore. Her father rubbed her back comfortingly although she knew he was completely confused as to what had her so upset, she hadn't told him about Alec, believing him dead, though her father knew she had married and had children she had never felt the need to go into much detail. It was painful so he didn't push her but now that Alice, Edward, and Sophie knew she would have to because Alice, no doubt, would tell Jasper and so on so forth because there were no secrets in the family.

She went in the car with them Alice and Jasper and they drove in silence, Isabella leaning her head on the window and staring out at the rain streaming down from the sky, she could feel her father's gaze on her constantly in the mirror and could her hear mother turn around to look at her at times, she reached back at one point and squeezed her knee gently. Alice, though her head was resting on Jaspers shoulder, reached one hand back to hold hers and Jasper sent her waves of happiness. She turned to look at him and gave him of soft, apologetic smile, knowing she was probably killing him. He reached the hand that was resting on Alice's back toward her and rubbed her arm - it was what she loved about Jazz, when it came to the comforting and emotional part of being a brother Emmett was completely useless, trying to make jokes, just kept up constant chatter or sat there awkwardly but Jasper was literally in his element and it wasn't his gift that made her feel better so usually he didn't use it.

The two of them disappeared as soon as they got to the house, disappearing from sight and Isabella's lips quirked slightly as the rest of them got out of the car. Esme wrapped an arm around her waist and Isabella willing lent her head against her shoulder, keeping her arms wrapped tightly around her own body. She must have looked pathetic: her head resting on Esme's shoulder, her shoulder's bent in, her back arched, her hands balled into fists in her clothing. Her step-mothers scent and presence was soothing and homely and, with other small things, it usually made her feel better instantly but not this time.

'You want to talk about, Isa?' her father asked as they sat down in lounge, Isabella curling in her step-mothers side. Carlisle would have smiled at how much his wife and daughter got on but couldn't when his daughter was so upset. He wasn't sure how far to go to comfort her when their relationship wasn't at its usual strength.

Isabella licked her lips and swallowed, tucking that stray curl behind her ear 'I'm married to Alec Volturi.'

Esme's arm retracted as she pulled away in shock before wrapping it around her tighter, her father, however, simply stared at her, not expecting that out of all the things she could have said – she always could surprise him.

'He was my husband when I was human' she explained. 'His surname was Carmichael not Volturi (obviously) and you have no idea the difference it makes.'

'So you're Isabella Carmichael?' her father asked trying to ignore the main point for the time being so his mind could wrap around the fact that his innocent daughter was completely in love with a "witch twin" so much so that she had been broken when he disappeared.

'Isabella Cullen-Carmichael,' she corrected and his lips quirked up into a small smile. 'I was the last Cullen, I wasn't letting go of that just because I got married.'

Esme laughed slightly but then stopped and brought the conversation back to the point, 'you're married to Alec Volturi, is that why-?'

'I didn't know,' Isabella cut her off; there was no way she went to Volturi _because _Alec was there. 'If I had known I probably wouldn't have gone, left Alice to deal with it - as horrible as it sounds but I'm a flight risk.'

She used the words she always did to describe herself.

'You are not a flight risk,' Esme said sternly and both of the blood Cullen's turned to look at her sceptically causing her to shoot Carlisle an evil look. 'So what happened?'

'Nothing,' Isabella replied, 'apart from I saw him and Jane.'

She felt her father's hand rub her back comfortingly and she tried to think of a reason that she was so upset. He hadn't really done much while she was there, had kept quiet for the most part, but she supposed it was all she had heard about him and trying to connect it with her husband that she loved dearly.

'It'll be alright, Isa,' her father whispered to her. 'Everything will work itself out because, obviously, Alec loved you once, probably still does, he knows that this version of him probably hurts you, he could change you never know.'

'I thought you hated Alec?' Isabella smiled, rubbing a hand over her cheek to remove tears that had never fallen.

'You love him,' he shrugged. 'He made you happy once and I know how much you loved him - I liked the husband I had heard about meaning that I hate Alec a bit less.'

'Did you speak to him when you were staying in Volterra?' she asked though she wasn't sure why.

'Not then,' he admitted. 'He avoided me and now I realise why.' (Isabella laughed lightly, imagining her Alec trying to keep away from her father) 'Back then, I'll admit he didn't seem too bad, sad, and Jane was a little ball of energy, she didn't avoid me as much, questioned me a lot which seemed strange at the time -'

'I'm glad I can make your life make sense,' Isabella laughed and Carlisle tried not to grin at the melodic sound that meant she was returning to her normal self a bit.

'He missed you that much was obvious,' Carlisle sighed, brushing that curl that still irritated her all these years later out of her face and she smiled. 'It always seemed as though he was in constant pain, that something was gone. He was heartbroken. Jane was constantly at his side but you could tell she was at a complete loss.

'You probably gave him quite a shock yesterday.'

'His expression was rather funny,' she giggled and Esme shook her head as Carlisle laughed with her: she would never understand these two, so alike and yet so different at the same time. She wasn't sure how Isabella was laughing so soon about this and worried that when she stopped it would all hit her again but for now Carlisle had gotten her smiling.


	50. Land Among the Stars

Chapter 47 – Land Among the Stars

"**Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." - Norman Vincent Peale**

They were leaving her. Edward and Alice, her last two family members in the school were graduating, leaving her alone. She sighed as she watched Alice flitter around the house to make sure everything was ready for the party that Isabella knew would start in around half an hour.

"Izzy, wipe that frown of your face," Alice chirped, glancing over at her from where she was standing by the music. "At least, look like you're happy for us."

Isabella sent her a sarcastically wide smile as Edward and Sophie walked in. Isabella softened her smile at Sophie who returned it, still a little hesitant around her. Edward grinned, walking over and throwing an arm around her: they had been trying to get back into that sibling relationship that they had been before the Volturi, before her anger at him, even optimistically aiming to get back to the way they were when she had first arrived.

"Unbelievable!" Sophie muttered in awe as Edward grinned.

"Alice will be Alice," he shrugged.

"Should we give them familiar and comforting? Or educate their taste in music?" Alice piped up now.

"Comforting" Sophie smiled at the same time Edward said, "Keep it comforting. You can only lead the horse to water."

Isabella rolled her eyes as Alice nodded seriously and started through the educational CDs into a box. Once that was done, she shoved the box in Isabella's arms and told her to take them upstairs.

"Are you using your baby sister as a slave, Ali?" Isabella groaned to Edwards snort.

"Iz, I hate to tell ya this but you're older than all of us, darlin'!" Jasper laughed appearing at the top of the stairs.

"That's not what the humans know,' Isabella argued back but left to take the box back to where they came from.

But then Edward had to spoil the evening by gathering everyone and telling them that Sophie had an epiphany: the army and Victoria were one. The whole family was tense until the doorbell rang and then they all transformed.

Isabella let a proud smile grace her face, playing the part of the excited younger sister while her father's stress was replaced by a warm smile. Alice turned up the music and at the same time, Emmett spun her under his arm since Rosalie was across the room so, by the time Jess, Mike, Tyler, Conner, Austin, Lee, Samantha and Lauren entered, they were already laughing and spinning around. Isabella heard her step-mothers laugh from beside her father and was sure she and Emmett looked ridiculous. It wasn't the perfect dancing the two of them were capable of but a clumsy, nerdy attempt at it. They stopped being the entertainment soon however and began to dance like modern teenagers.

Isabella frowned not long into the party as she saw Sophie begging Alice to tell her something before catching Edward's eye - he gestured up the stairs and Isabella nodded disappearing outside to go upstairs via a tree so it didn't seem suspicious that all the Cullen's were leaving the main party.

"I smell mutt," Rosalie muttered as soon as she entered the room but her comment was ignored for the time being because it was clear Alice had move important news.

"A decisions been made," she told them. "I still can't see who's behind it but they're coming here soon, I can see them."

Silence fell.

"If there coming here, then we have the high ground," Isabella eventually broke the silence causing everyone to look at her. "We know the area; we could try to somehow lead them to an area where they'll do the least amount of damage."

"That's a fair point," her father agreed, smiling down at her. "If we can lead them away from the town and further into the woods it won't be nearly as bad."

"Wait, we're fighting?" Emmett grinned widely.

"I honestly don't think we have any choice in that matter, Emmett," Carlisle sighed. "An army of newborns won't just not fight especially if Victoria is behind it."

Isabella shuffled closer to her father - he hated violence, she wasn't a fan of it either, especially considering how high the stakes were in this case - and wrapped her arms around his waist. His hand nearest her rose to run through her wavy blond hair as Rosalie spoke.

"Why don't we meet them before they get here, though?" she asked curiously.

"We can't be hundred percent what direction they're going to come from though," Alice reminded her. "If they change their mind at the last minute, we would have no hope."

"How are we going to get them into the-" Esme began but Carlisle cut her off, softly.

"Not now, we have to go back down stairs in case someone notices."

Act first then do what you want/need late: that was just part of being a Cullen vampire.

The words were simple and everyone began to leave apart from Isabella, her father and Esme since their absence wouldn't be questioned as much as Alice's and Edward's would. They listened as Alice discussed everything with Sophie and Isabella pressed her lips together as the wolves decided they would help.

That night after that party the discussion continued until they had to come and train with the wolves. She was nervous about that. Part of her didn't want to see how well trained in fighting she had become in the years they had been separated but he was going to have to. Perhaps it would make him a little less protective.

When it was her turn against Jasper, she spun and kicked and leaped managing to actually get him down. By the time they stopped completely, Jasper gaped at her as did the rest of the family and she was glad she couldn't turn bright red as she would have done when she was human.

"What was that?" Emmett managed to say, his eyes wide and his jaw low.

"I don't _like_ fighting but I never said I couldn't," she reminded him and heard the wolves grumble behind her.

There was silence for a little while longer but Jasper broke it.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" he asked amazed.

"My friend, Logan, insisted that I learn how to fight in case we ever got in a mess with other vampires," Isabella shrugged, "said it was a common thing… though it wasn't until I joined you lot."

There was a few awkward chuckles and amused smile but apart from that the rest were too shocked to do anything. Isabella at her father and he winked at her causing a smile to make its way onto her face.


	51. Learn to Live with It

Chapter 48 – Learn to Live with It

"**Pain doesn't always heal, sometimes you just have learn to live with it." – Unknown**

'They're coming!' Alice gasped and the Cullen's gathered together to form a united front.

Isabella took a deep breath and Alice, who she had ended up standing next to, squeezed her hand and kept it in a tight sisterly grip. She didn't want to see Jane again, didn't want to see her burning red eyes, her slim figure draped in the Volturi black cloak, hear her voice say horrible things in boredom: she just didn't want to see what had become of her sweet sister-in-law.

'Hmm,' her dead voice said from the mist that was circling the clearing but they could still see her, Felix, Demetri and two another members of the guard Isabella didn't recognise. It seemed Aro had the kindness not to send Alec or maybe he just felt that Alec may not come back.

'Welcome, Jane,' Carlisle said his tone mild, not knowing whether he was to like this girl more because Isabella had loved her so much when they were human or hate what she and her brother were doing to Isabella now.

They came closer out of the mist, spreading out slightly. Jane's eyes surveyed them, her eyes lingering on Isabella's face for a little longer than the rest before she looked at the newborn girl that Isabella and her father had not killed who had her head in her hands.

'I don't understand,' Jane said in a toneless voice but Isabella could hear a hint of interest and confusion in it though it may have only been because she knew her so well.

It had been three months and she still wasn't able to stomach seeing Jane dressed in the black Volturi cloak that Logan had taught her to fear.

'She has surrendered,' Edward explained and Jane's eyes flashed to his face.

'Surrendered?' she questioned lightly while Felix and Demetri exchanged a quick look at the revelation.

'Carlisle gave her the option,' Edward shrugged in answer.

'There are no options for those who break the rules,' Jane spoke and her voice had gone back to apathy.

'That's in your hands. As long as she was willing to halt her attack on us, I saw no need to destroy her. She was never taught.'

Isabella could have been sure Jane's lips twitched a minute bit but she would never know as Jane practically snapped, 'that's irrelevant.'

'As you wish,' Carlisle bowed his head.

Jane looked at him in bewilderment along her mind to think how much his nature was like Isabella's before she shook her head almost unnoticeably and composed her features once again.

'Aro hoped that we would get far enough west to see you, Carlisle,' she said. 'He sends his regards.'

'I would appreciate if you would convey mine to him,' Carlisle nodded kindly.

'Of course,' Jane actually smiled. A smile that was so lovely that Isabella felt her own lips tilt up in the slightest movement but Jane caught it. Then she looked back to the smoke. 'It appears that you've done our work for us today … for the most part.' - her eyes flickered to the girl behind them - 'Just out of professional curiosity, how many were there? They left quite a wake of destruction in Seattle.'

'Eighteen, including this one,' Carlisle replied and Jane's red eyes widened, looking at the size of the fire. Felix and Demetri exchanged another glance though this one was longer.

'Eighteen?' she repeated, her voice unsure.

'All brand-new,' Carlisle added dismissively and Isabella realised he was trying to avoid intimidating the Volturi. 'They were unskilled.'

'All?' Jane's voice turned sharp. 'Then who was there creator?'

'Her name was Victoria,' Edward said, his voice nearly as bland as Jane's had been.

'Was?' Jane picked up on the past tense and Edward inclined his head toward where he and Sophie had spent the night. There was other pillar of smoke far out in the distance. Jane examined it for a while before looking back at the main fire. 'This Victoria - she was in addition to the eighteen here?'

'Yes,' Edward nodded. 'She had only one other with her. He was not as young as this one here, but no older than a year.'

'Twenty,' Jane breathed. 'Who dealt with the creator?'

'I did,' Edward answered shortly and Jane's eyes narrowed turning to the newborn.

'You there,' she said, her voice harsher than Isabella had ever heard it. 'Your name.'

The newborn had the spirit to glare up at her but Jane just pressed her lips together before smiling angelically. Isabella cringed as the girl began to scream, her voice cutting the air. Isabella's face was the only one showing any emotion but Carlisle's hand had moved to rest on her ribs just above her waist. Finally it was quiet.

'Your name,' Jane repeated.

'Bree,' the girl practically cried out.

Jane smiled and Bree screamed again but after a while Isabella couldn't take it anymore.

'Janessa!' she snapped stepping one step forward (her father tried to keep hold of her but it was no use) and glaring at her sister-in-law with her teeth clenched together, they screaming stopped as Jane turned to look at her. 'That's enough. You don't need to do that.' - she turned and walked to Bree, Jasper sent her a look that clearly said to be careful as she bent down. The girl was lying panting on the ground - 'Bree, honey, can you tell Jane how many of you there were? Be honest.'

Bree stared up at her for a second, shocked by her kindness for the second time but eventually swallowed and spoke to the brunette vampire while wondering what had stopped her from making the kind blonde girl scream as well.

'Nineteen or twenty, maybe more, I don't know. Sara and the other one whose name I don't know got in a fight on the way …'

'And this Victoria,' Jane spoke, she couldn't help that her voice was suddenly softer seeing that Isabella was as caring as she always had been. '- did she create you?'

'I don't know,' Bree replied. 'Riley never said her name. I didn't see that night … it was so dark, and it hurt …' - she shuddered and Isabella rubbed soothing circles in her back: everyone there but Sophie knew the pain - 'He didn't want us to be able to think of her. He said that our thoughts weren't safe …'

Jane's eyes went to Edward as did the rest of the family before going back to Bree.

'Tell me about Riley,' Jane said and Isabella suddenly clicked him as Riley Bears, the boy had gone missing a while ago who had been from Forks. 'Why did he bring you here?'

'Riley told us that we had to destroy the strange yellow eyes here,' Bree spoke quickly and willingly as though trying to get as much dirt on Riley out and avoid another torture session even with Isabella's protection. 'He said it would be easy. He said that the city was theirs, and they were coming to get us. He said once they were gone, all the blood would be ours. He gave us her' - Bree pointed over at Sophie who stood by Edward's side - 'scent. He said we would know that we had the right coven because she would be with them. He said whoever go to her first could have her.'

Edward's teeth snapped together.

'It looks like Riley was wrong about the easy part,' Jane remarked and Bree nodded, relieved that she wasn't been tortured anymore.

Bree sat up carefully before speaking again.

'I don't know what happened. We split up, but the others never came. And Riley left us, and he didn't come to help like he promised. And then it was so confusing, and everybody was in pieces' - she shuddered - 'I was afraid. I wanted to run. That one' - she jerked her head at Isabella's father - ' said they wouldn't hurt me if I stopped fighting.'

'Ah, but that wasn't his gift to offer, young one,' Jane's tone was strangely gentle now and she said it in the same way Aro would have; Isabella glared up at her. 'Broken rules demand a consequence.'

Bree didn't understand but Jane turned to her brother's father-in-law, 'are you sure you got all of them? The other half that split off.'

Carlisle face was smooth as he lied in answer,' we split up too.'

Jane smiled a little.

'I can't deny that I'm impressed,' she said and the other guards murmured behind her. 'I've never seen a coven escape this magnitude of offensive intact. Do you know what was behind it? It seems like extreme behaviour considering the way you live here. And why was the girl the key?'

Jane's eyes rested on Sophie causing her to shiver and it struck Isabella that she didn't have her shield only on her but it was unlikely that Jane would notice - she wouldn't attack other members of the family… at least Isabella hoped she wouldn't.

'Victoria held a grudge against Sophie,' Edward told her and Jane laughed.

'This one seems to bring out bizarrely strong reactions in our kind,' she noted, smiling directly at Sophie and Isabella felt a painful stab at her shield at the same time Edward stiffened

'Would you please not do that?' he requested his tone tight.

Jane lightly laughed again.

'Just checking. No harm done apparently,' she said and Sophie shivered again. 'We're not used to being rendered unnecessary. It's too bad we missed the fight. It sounds like it would have been entertaining to watch.'

'Yes,' Edward answered her a bit too quickly with a sharp note to his usually soft voice. 'And you were so close. It's a shame you didn't arrive just a half hour earlier. Perhaps then you could have fulfilled your purpose here.'

Jane met the glare Edward was sending her with strong eyes, 'yes. Quite a pity how things turned out, isn't it?'

Edward nodded and Jane turned to look at Bree again, her face as bored as it was when she arrived.

'Felix,' she said.

'Wait!' Isabella said at the same time as Edward and Jane raised an eyebrow at them. Isabella removed her shield to tell Edward to go ahead and he turned to face her father, speaking quickly.

'We could explain the rules to the young one,' he said urgently. 'She doesn't seem unwilling to learn. She didn't know what she was doing.'

'Of course,' Carlisle agreed quickly. 'We would certainly be prepared to take responsibility for Bree.'

Jane's expression was somewhere between shock and amusement but there was also a part that didn't seem surprised at all.

'Jane,' Isabella implored, sending her a pleading look and Jane's eyes fluttered closed.

'We don't make exceptions,' she said opening them and they were distant. 'And we don't give second chances. It's bad for our reputation. Which reminds me' - her gaze moved to Sophie - 'Caius will be _so _interested to hear that you're still human, Sophie. Perhaps he'll decide to visit.'

'The date is set,' Alice spoke for the first time. 'Perhaps we'll come visit you in a few months.'

Jane shrugged and turned away back to where Carlisle was now turning around toward Isabella.

'It was nice to meet you, Carlisle,' she actually smiled a smile Isabella recognised as genuine as her father pulled her forcefully away from Bree and back to where they had originally been standing, Isabella fought gently but not very much knowing she couldn't fight the Volturi. 'Even knowing Izz-sabella, I'd thought Aro was exaggerating. Well, until we meet again …' -Carlisle nodded and his expression was pained, pulling Isabella closer to him to protect her from what was about to happen. - 'Take care of that, Felix. I want to go home.'

'Don't watch,' everyone heard Edward whisper to Sophie but Isabella took his advice as well turning into her father's chest as Bree screamed and the sound of ripping limbs. Eventually it was over and Isabella looked out at Jane from her father's arms to see sadness and guilt glinting in her eyes, which were focused on Isabella's, though her face was still bored. 'Come.'

They began to drift away but Isabella moved away from her father, nearly throwing his arms off and took a few steps toward them. Everyone froze.

'Janessa,' no one else moved but Jane who looked over her shoulder, her nose wrinkled in distaste of the name.' once you lose yourself you only have two choices: find the person you used to be... or lose that person completely. Rely that to your brother, it's meant for both of you.'

With that said, Isabella turned and walked out of the clearing before she gave Jane anything else to say to Alec. She could feel her father's and sister-in-law's gazes following her but no one physically did.


	52. Forgot for a While

Chapter 49 – Forgot for a While

"**I know who I am: I just forgot for a little while." – Carrie Hope Fletcher (ItsWayPastMyBedtime), Turning on the Light**

Isabella sat down on rock a while away from clearing and tried to get her bearings back about her. Her world just couldn't stay steady and all she really wanted know was to find a dark cave and just stay hidden there for a few centuries until she felt whole again but she doubted that would ever happen, doubted she would ever feel one hundred percent whole. The weight of her knowledge weighed her down heavily as though it was a physical thing and she had no idea how to remove them. Vampires don't forget. She couldn't forget that Alec and Jane were Volturi, that they were witch twins. She still all this time later had no idea how she felt about everything because she had so many emotions flying through her at such a high speed that it was impossible to distinguish one from the other. She barely even knew who she was any more.

She tensed as a twig snapped close by her and found that Rosalie had in fact come after her. She didn't say anything just sat down next to Isabella and wrapped her arms tightly around her. She collapsed in her elder sisters arms and let Rosalie hold her together since the effort of doing it herself was too great to bear.

"I can't do this, Rose," she whispered. "I'm so tired of fighting, I'm tired of feeling bad - I'd rather feel nothing."

Still Rosalie didn't say anything but she started rocking, stroking Isabella's hair softly as you would with a small child. Eventually, they stood up and Rosalie drew her to a lake.

"What do you see, Izzy?" she asked quietly, gesturing to the water.

Isabella stared at the golden eyes in the reflection and found she barely recognised herself either. She was no longer the poised, smiling woman she had once been, she just seemed tired, her whole face drawn downwards. Her eyes seeming as though they wanted nothing more than to shut and not reopen. Isabella's wedding rings glinted in the reflection of the water and she moved her hand to fiddle with them.

"I don't know anymore," Isabella whispered.

Rosalie's reflection smiled at her.

"Do you want to know what I see?" she asked and Isabella turned to look up at her. "I see an independent, talented, beautiful young woman who's fiery but the kindest person I've ever met. You've been a lot, Izzy, I know that and you don't deserve it but you just going to have to keep going, keep pushing forward. We're all here for you to lean on if you need us but you need to find out who you are again" - Rosalie glanced down at her rings - "maybe you need to rediscover who were before you met Alec."

"I was depressed before I met Alec," she admitted to Rosalie, looking up. "I had been for a while but I suppose he saved me from myself when he 'died' I feel depressed again. He kept that darkness from drowning me."

"Then you need to discover who you are without him," Rosalie said softly. "Perhaps it's time that you took those rings off completely."

Isabella tensed: she had never taken her rings off except to put them on another finger when around humans.

She looked down at her rings, blooming flowers and braided vines of white gold ran through with aquamarines and London blue topazes accenting while a large, brilliant blue sapphire took centre stage for the engagement ring and a matching band for the wedding ring, and sighed heavily. Her eyes fluttered closed as she took hold of them and it took all her strength to remove them because it simple felt wrong. She stared at them sitting in her palm and realised she felt no different, just numb, and wondered if this would hit her later.

Rosalie wrapped an arm around her and squeezed as Isabella placed them in her pocket. Part of her wondered if she should throw them in the lake but she knew she couldn't do it.

"Let's go," Rosalie said still talking softly. "Jane's gone and the rest have headed back to the house. Carlisle's worried about you."

Probably the only thing that would get her moving: her father.

It did hit her about an hour later as she sat reading a book on her bed and she glanced over at her dressing table where he rings sat before down at her finger. She stood up and walked toward her mirror.

"Isabella Marissa Cullen," she reminded herself looking at herself.

The rings it seemed did hold a weight because, though she felt sad, she felt a lot lighter. Rose was right, she needed to find herself as an individual again and face the past instead of hiding from it. She pushed her shoulders back and took a deep breath.

"Isabella Cullen, daughter and sister," she told herself, ignoring the fact of Alec for a minute before applying a word to him. "Separated."

She sighed and was glad no one was in the house right now to hear her. She stood there for a while longer reciting simple facts to herself until her father came home from La Push, it had helped but it made her feel young, weak, upset and dreadfully tired. He seemed to notice a difference straight away and the lack of rings of her fingers. She rushed to him and he wrapped his arms tightly around her, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

A few months later and Isabella was feeling a lot happier and the family knew it. When she looked in the mirror, she could see the girl she had once known in London before her depression. The girl who missed her father dreadfully but was happy and vibrant, who constantly smiled and had a sparkle in her eyes.

"She has her light back," her father said in September and she honestly felt like she had. She had her light back but the test was to see whether it lasted when she came face to face with Alec or Jane, a test she no intention to try any time soon.


	53. Talent

Chapter 50 – Talent

"**Talent is sometimes genetic."– Unknown**

In the time that Isabella had been recovering, Edward and Sophie had gotten married and Sophie had been pregnant. A little girl had been two days before Isabella's birthday, not that vampires really kept track of birthdays but Isabella still knew when her own was, called Eliza. Edward had transformed Sophie once she had given birth and she was still in the stage of transformation.

Isabella stood bouncing Eliza in her arms in the lounge looking out the large grass window. She tried not to think when she had stood in her own lounge with Theresa or Callen snuggled in her arms as she gazed out the window wondering what they would be like when they didn't wake her up at all hours of the night. Her father was across the room, talking quietly to her step-mother. Rosalie and Emmett were in the forest while Jasper and Alice were around the house somewhere

Isabella could hear Edward pacing around the room Sophie was "asleep" in and open her shield to comfort him. At the same time however, Eliza put a hand to her cheek and she gasped as an image of Sophie looking ill and weak flashed across her mind. Her parent's heads snapped towards her but the image was gone since as she gasped she snapped her shield back over herself.

"What is it?" her father asked coming behind her and resting his hands on her shoulder, looking at her over her shoulder.

Isabella blinked rapidly, not used to having her mind invaded by anything and breathed out heavily.

"Has Eliza shown you her gift?" she whispered turning to look at him properly.

"Ah, you removed your shield," Carlisle chuckled at his daughter's expression, pressing a kiss to her forehead to try calm her from her shock. "It's interesting, isn't it?"

Eliza seemed to understand what he was saying because she beamed at him.

"Sophie's heart rates changing," Esme observed from the other side of the room and the two other Cullen's feel silent listening as Sophie's heart beeped for the last time.

"Edward," Alice's voice said upstairs. "Shall I have Izzy ….?"

"Yes- keep the baby away," Edward replied.

The rest hurried for the stairs but Isabella stayed where she was, noticing the form of Jacob dart out of the tree line toward the house.

"You're mum's going to be awake now," she whispered to the small child in her arms. "Are you excited to meet her again?"

Eliza reached a hand up and Isabella forced her shield aside to receive the happiness Eliza was feeling.

"Isabella. Eliza," Jacob said as he walked into the house, the difference between the two names were astounding. "May I?"

Jacob reached his arms out for Eliza but Isabella shook her head.

"I don't think that's a good idea," she muttered and Jacob cocked his head to the side to listen.

"Sophie's awake" he observed the lack of heart beat but Isabella wasn't going to say another word listening as a body moved quickly and landed hard in the room upstairs.

"Sophie" she heard Edward say in a low, calming tone that was laced with worry. "Sophie, love? I'm sorry, I know it's disorienting. But you're all right. Everything is fine."

Isabella grimaced as she bounced Eliza, taking a few steps away from Jacob, remembering when she first woke from the transformation and how different and confusing everything had seemed.

She listened to the conversation play out above her head and Eliza seemed to be, her eyes entranced by what seemed like the ceiling but was actually the voices through it. She shook her head as her father's natural curiosity but it didn't take him long to tamper it when he realised she must be thirsty.

Then Sophie started asking to see Eliza but Isabella's father and Edward wouldn't let her stating it was dangerous.

"She's fine, Sophie," Isabella called up to her. "I've got her but you need to go and hunt."

Eventually, Sophie stopped questioning and Edward managed to drag her out hunting. Eliza let out a noise as they watched her parents run in the forest.

"It's okay, hun, they'll be back soon," Isabella comforted her niece. "I promise."

"How are you holding up, Isa?" her father asked her when Rosalie had taken Eliza from her a while later and she sat of the sofa her bum one side of him with her feet over his lap and onto Esme's, who was one the other side of him.

The young child in the house made her gravitate towards him even more as though little Eliza reminded her off their relationship and he seemed to be the same. It was like her presence reminded them that they were father and daughter.

"What do you mean?" she asked softly, glancing up at him.

"Alec, have a child around, anything really," he expanded.

"I know who I am," I told him though more for myself. "I just forgot for a little while but I'm fine. Alec's my past and I can look back on him and our children with downward spiralling. It still makes me sad and it still hurts but I'm happy, I promise, it's not an act."

"Good," he pressed a kiss to her hairline. "How do you think Sophie's going to react to the fact Jacob imprinted of Eliza?"

"Badly," was Isabella's only response, knowing that if someone had imprinted of Theresa before she had even met her she would have been pissed, and it wasn't long before they found out that she was completely correct as Sophie leapt for him.


	54. Fear

Chapter 51 – Fear

"**People always say life is full of choices; no one ever mentions fear."– Anastasia (Journey to the Past)**

They continued blissfully for a few months: no wars, no arguments, no relationships breaking between the family. The only problem: Eliza's speeding growth. Isabelle spent many evenings with Sophie, Rosalie and Alice trying to comfort Sophie's panic over her daughters speeding age and development. Today was the most recent.

Alice had been rearranging Esme's bouquets just to give herself something to do and Eliza had fascinated by her movements and after a few hours had begun dancing along behind her. Sophie and Edward were terrified though Edward was better at hiding it than Sophie.

Eliza was now outside playing with Jacob, Alice was still moving things about and the rest of them were sat around in the living room. Esme and Isabella's father were discussing Irina who had come to visit but had gotten scared off by Jacob being a wolf and Eliza. Laurent it turned out, though he had gone to Denali like he told the Cullens he would, had not stuck to the diet and had met Sophie whilst they were 'away'. The wolves killed him to put in bluntly. Irina was Laurent's mate.

"Izzy darlin', would you mind passin' that book beside you?' Jasper requested, nudging her with his foot. It was odd how Jasper would slip in and out of his Southern accent and pet names without really realising it. Isabella flipped the book over to him not opening her arms where she was pretending to sleep. 'Thank y-'

Alice gasped and Isabella spun around "waking up". Esme's favourite vase was dropping through Alice's slender hands and Alice was clearly struck in a horrific vision. Jasper raced to Alice whilst Isabella grabbed the vase before returning to Alice's side. The sudden movement of her and Jasper had caught the rest of the family's attention.

'Edward, what is it?' Isabella's father asked and Isabella quickly removed her shield so he could see it Alice's mind.

He froze.

'The Volturi.'

Isabella couldn't help but groan - in her mind the Volturi meant two things: Alec and pain. The rest of the family reacted in a different way but eventually they got round to questioning - Alice was yet to return to them.

'Why?' Esme asked.

'When?' her father added.

Isabella mind however was still on other matters - the conversation her parents had been having only a minute ago.

'Irina,' she whispered and she thought she heard Esme groan. 'Papa, what were you beginning to tell me about the Denali's last month?'

He had only told her that the Denali sisters were very loyal to the Volturi before they had been interrupted but she knew vengeful vampires are willing to do anything to get back at the people they believe have wronged them.

'Oh no,' Carlisle sighed. 'Irina.'

'What?' Emmett asked looking confused as to what his "parents" had come to.

'Sophie, what did Irina see?' Carlisle spun around to face her.

'Liza, Jacob (in his wolf form) and me playing in the snow,' was Sophie's quick answer. 'Why? ...Carlisle, what's wrong?'

Jasper groaned now - realising what Carlisle was thinking.

'Immortal child,' he whispered softly and the family froze but Alice had returned to them and began filling them in.

'Carlisle, the whole guard is coming! Every one of them, Aro, Caius, Marcus, the wives -'

'The wives?' Rosalie repeated.

'They never leave the tower,' Emmett finished for her.

'Well they are now,' Alice snapped at them for interrupting her. 'Snow's on the ground but it isn't falling. So it can be long from now - I can't see! Jacob and Eliza are too close."

Alice grew frustrated as Eliza and Jacob move closer to the house.

"I could-" Sophie began to take a step toward the garden but Alice shook her head, grabbing Jasper's hand.

"No, no, Sophie, I can see better away from all the wolves," Alice stopped her, already moving to the door. "I'll get a few miles away from everything and try and figure things out - try to gather friends though, I can see people gathered around us."

**Really crappy, sorry, I just needed this one out the way so I spent hardly any time on it but we know Alice leaves and so on. So sorry.**


	55. Friend in Me

Chapter 52 – Friend in Me

"**You'll always have a friend in me."– Unknown**

Alice never came back after she and Jasper left the house that evening but the family still split up to search for the friends that would help them. Isabella had meant many people over the years but very few she knew well enough to help her. However she managed to gather a fair few and now she had the very later people to ask.

Isabella finally headed to the place she was dreading the most: Scotland. She smiled as she walked through the snow to a mountain house, following a trail of scent that she hadn't smelt in so many years. It was a quaint cottage with wooden-looking walls and a spiral of smoke leaving the chimney. There were skies piled up outside.

She was a few paces away when the front door swung open to reveal a handsome, pale, black haired man with shinning golden eyes.

'Izzy?!' he called out incredulously, a wide grin spreading over his face as he ran towards her.

'Hiya, Loga-'

He picked her up when he reached her and swung around like he always used to - clearly Logan hadn't changed at all - and her bubbling laughter cut her sentence off. He placed her back down on ground and wrapped her in tight hug, resting his cheek on her head.

'Ah, Izzy, I'm so pleased to see you,' he pulled back and beamed at her. 'You look so … happy.'

Isabella wasn't sure how she was managing to look happy with everything that was going on but maybe it was the glee of seeing Logan again, she could barely feel tense when she was so relieved to see him. They just beamed at each other for a while until he pulled her back to him again.

'God, I missed you.'

'I missed you too,' Isabella whispered, tightening her hold on him, 'so much.'

They stayed there for a while until footsteps echoed from the cottage.

'Izzy?' Andie's voice now entered the mix and Logan and Isabella separated to look towards her. 'Oh my god, Izzy. Izzy! Isabella.'

Both Isabella and Logan laughed as Andie shrieked with happiness and the two girls ran to meet each other, colliding happily. They hugged tightly for a few minutes until Andie pulled back with a half sigh, half laugh. She managed to look Isabella in the face for about a second before hugging her again. Logan chuckled as he slowly walked at human pace back over.

'What brings you back to us, Izzy?' Logan asked when she and Andie were finally available to talk to again.

Isabella hated this bit - where she had to admit that that she only came back because she needed help.

'I need your help,' she said bluntly, feeling fear well up inside her.

Logan, knowing she didn't ask for help easily, placed a hand on her back and began to lead her in the cottage, 'anything. What is it?

Being vampires it was harder to beat round the bush than it would have been if they were human, they could have a drink and food before settling down to the point but vampires didn't have that luxury and Isabella didn't have time to spare.

'Andie, would you mind if I had a moment with Logan?' Isabella asked, feeling bad to be sending Andie away but she really just wanted to speak with Logan alone for a while.

Logan's eyebrows rose in surprise at her request but Andie smiled and disappeared without a word. Logan gestured her to a chair but Isabella flew back into his arms; they wrapped tightly around her in confusion.

'I don't remember you so skittish,' Logan murmured resting his chin on top of her head.

'Logan, I'm in trouble,' she whispered and he tensed, pulling back to look her in the face.

'What do you mean?' his words were spoken warily as he guided her to the seat he had gestured her to earlier.

She sat down and buried her face in her hands while he knelt in front of her, a hand grasping her wrist.

'Isabella,' he said.

She looked up at him again.

'Logan, I found my husband,' she whispered and Logan's face burst into a smile but she shook her head. 'He's in the _Volturi_.'

'Oh, Izzy-' he sighed heavily, pushing himself up slightly to hug her but never got around to it.

'It gets worse,' she murmured and allowed him to take her hands. 'They're coming for us-'

'No!' Logan snapped angrily. 'No. No, they can't. Why? Izzy, what happened? What did you do? Oh God, no.'

He bowed his head onto her knees repeating the word "no". Isabella bent down and rested her head on top of his.

'I'm so scared, Logan,' she admitted to him the fears that had been building up inside her - she could only tell Logan, he knew her, she couldn't tell her family and she couldn't tell Andie. 'I don't want to lose my family, I don't want to see my husband, I can't, I'm terrified, Logan, but I need to keep up a confident face for those around me. I'm breaking, Logan, I can feel it.

'I've finally become me again, Logan, I've finally found who I am as an individual but seeing my husband, I know will just bring me back to that lost girl I was when you and I first met. Logan, please help me.'

She had moved while she was speaking as had Logan so now they were both kneeling on the floor, hugging.

'Izzy, what on earth did you do to bring the wrath of the Volturi on you?' Logan asked hoarsely.

'We didn't do what we were accused of,' she promised him straight away. 'They - they think we created an immortal child.'

Logan's arms tightened around her.

'You're dead,' he muttered quietly and Isabella nodded into his shoulder. 'Izzy, I can't help you, I can't save you. If I could you know I would without a moment's thought but there's_ nothing I can do_.'

'We're gathering friends -' Isabella began what she had told all the other people she had gathered.

'You're fighting?' Logan seemed even more horrified about this.

'No, _no_, of course not,' Isabella began though she knew she would along with her family if the need arouse but she wouldn't make Logan think she was going to. 'We're hoping that if enough people have seen the truth - the child is half-human, Logan - then maybe the Volturi will stop and listen -'

'Izzy, they won't!' Logan cut her off. 'I know them, they won't stop, they don't. They never give someone long enough to explain if they've seen proof - have they …?'

'Yes, in someone's thoughts.'

'Then you're dead.'

'Logan,' Isabella pleaded with his name. 'Please, help me.'

He took a deep breath, 'Andie and I will stand by you as you should have always known we would. I won't lose you unless I have to.'

Isabella threw herself at him again and, had they been human, she would have knocked him to the floor with the momentum of her hug. Logan chuckled lightly.

'I told you to be careful, Izzy,' he murmured.

'Sorry.'

There was silence for a while and Logan pushed himself up before offering her a hand.

'So,' he said as the stood looking at each other, 'who's your husband?'

Isabella's eye fluttered closed so she didn't have to see Logan's expression when she told him.

'Alec.'


	56. Nice to Have a Home

Chapter 53 – Nice to Have a Home

"**It's nice to have a home."– Unknown**

Isabella drove towards her house with Logan next to her and Andie in the back of the car and she could smell the scents of numerous vampires who her family had gathered. As soon as she saw the large white house, she sighed and Andie gasped.

"Wow!" she whispered as Logan and Isabella chucked.

The front door opened as they pulled up in front and Isabella saw her step mother walk out of it towards her. Leaving Logan and Andie to get out themselves, she rushed towards Esme and was wrapped tightly in a hug.

"Hi, honey," Esme laughed gently stroking her hair.

Isabella pulled back and smiled, "Alice?"

Her step-mother shook her head sadly and Isabella sighed but turned to face her old companions.

"Mum, this is Andie and Logan,' Isabella gestured, keeping an arm around her step-mothers waist since she had one round Isabella's shoulders to keep her near. "Andie, Lo, this is my step-mother.'

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ma'am,' Logan smiled a charming smile at her, taking in Isabella's happiness as she stood next to this woman.

'Hello,' Andie grinned seeming much less formal than her mate and husband

"I'm glad to finally meet you both," Esme replied kindly in her typical motherly fashion. "Shame it's not under better circumstances. Izzy, your father's inside if you want -"

Isabella didn't let her step mother finish her sentence but instead fled into the house in search of her father though she could hear them all following behind her. She spotted her father at the far side of the living room and raced towards him being careful not to bump into anyone else.

'Papa!'

The collection vampires all turned to look as Isabella flew at her father. Travelling alone from the last few weeks made her realise how much she hated how she used to live - just wondering around and meeting random others before moving again. She jumped towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her up swaying slightly. She felt his tense muscles relax as he wrapped her in his arms.

"I missed you," she squealed in his ear, even though they hadn't really been apart for very long, it was still the longest she had been away from him since they were reunited.

Her father chuckled as he placed her gently back on the ground, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"You too, Isa." He jolted up slightly to look over her head. "I understand this is very fascinating to you all but would you mind stopping the staring."

His voice was calm and polite as ever and Isabella turned, still keeping her arms locked around him to see the rest of the vampires in their home turning around, away from them. She caught Logan's eyes and they shared an amused smile.

"Papa," Isabella said dragging him toward Logan and began the introductions again. She had told Logan and Andie on the way back about who she was staying with so they weren't surprised.

'Thank you for taking care of my little girl,' Carlisle chuckled as he shook Logan's hand.

'I'll think you'll find she was taking care of me, sir,' Logan laughed in return and Andie smiled at his side.

'Come on, Logan, you taught me practically everything about the vampire world,' Isabella swatted at him but he dodged out the way.

'True, that's very true but still you did all the caring,' Logan twisted the conversation back around 'I was more trouble and you were strangely tame for a new born.'

'I was heartbroken!' Isabella playfully leaped at him falling quickly back into their old patterns.

'That means nothing!' Logan quietly yelled in return, grabbing her and spinning her around before mussing her hair.

'Who know nothing!' she laughed, glaring at him before her father cleared his throat. 'Sorry, Papa.'

Logan stuck his tongue out at her but then returned formal again to speak calmly with her father. Andie dragged her away so she could be introduced to others.

Eventually however Isabella was freed from the duty and was attacked by Eliza.

"Auntie Izzy!" she giggled as she flew into Isabella's arms.

Isabella laughed and spun her around before placing her back on the crowd and kissing her head. Eliza threw her arms back around her waist as soon as she stopped bending down.

"Aw, Liza, I missed you too, you've gotten so big," Isabella laughed, smoothing her nieces hair but nearly immediately it was time for her to be measured.

"Well, well, Isabella,' a friendly voice chuckled but Isabella tensed, unknowingly learning toward Emmett who happened to be beside her, "you have got yourself in a pickle."

She turned her head over her shoulder as Emmett looked down at her. She shivered slightly as she saw the owner of the voice and turned her head, this time to look at Emmett. Meeting her trouble gaze, the smile that was constantly on Emmett's face dropped and he looked at her concerned, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"What's he doing here?" she whispered, keeping her eyes locked with Emmett's who quickly glanced over before returning his gaze to hers.

"He just turned up here just after Rose and I got back, knowing everything," he muttered in her ear. "You know him?"

"Sadly," Isabella replied and Logan turned as well to look at her. "He was the one who changed me."

Before either of the boys could react, her creator raised his voice to her again.

"Are you ready to hear me out after all the years?" his voice was still just as kind and friendly, not arrogant or mean, just friendly and familiar, the same way he acted when he changed her.

"No."

Isabella span on her heel, out from under Emmett's arm, and out the door away from him. She wondered what he wanted to tell her - was it Alec and Jane? Did he want to tell back then that her husband was alive? Or was it her father that he wanted to tell her about? Or was it something completely different? She didn't want to know really because she couldn't handle anything more on her plate at the moment.

Still she returned when it began to get dark and sat with her father, step-mother, Andie and Logan reminiscing about the old times. She and Logan had a lot of stories together, but then Logan had his life before and they both had their lives after. She didn't realise how much she had missed her first two companions.

But the fight was still coming and, from what Edward had seen of Alice's thoughts before she left, it was coming soon. They needed to prepare.


	57. True Love Again

Chapter 54 – True Love

"**The course of true love never did run smooth."– William Shakespeare (A midsummers night dream)**

They won, though there was no fighting involved and Isabella was finally allowing herself to relax. The Volturi had been tricked again into thinking that Sophie had the mental shield and they had all come away from the battle unharmed.

She now sat on the forest floor a few days later when everyone had gone home trying with all her might to focus on the book in front of her. Why couldn't life give her a break for once? Wasn't it enough that she had lost her father, the man she had adored and admired and idolised, when she was young, too young? Wasn't it enough that she had lost her husband, who she had barely been married to for a year, before their twins were even born? Wasn't it enough that not long after that, everything she thought to be true was turned upside-down and she was forced to leave them? No, obviously not because fate had a horrible way of showing her that she disserved worse, much worse.

Footsteps were crunching on the snow behind her as she sat and she had no doubt as to whom it was coming toward her. The one person that refused to leave her mind since she had seen him for the first time in decades had obviously decided that now he would haunt her physically as well as mentally. His scent engulfed her as the wind wiped around the trees. She had only met the scent twice, and both times it had been surrounded by many others, that it had been hard to pick out on its own but she knew it in a second.

'Go away, Alec,' she said quietly, so quietly that she almost wasn't heard.

'No,' Alec replied, his voice causing her stomach to flip-flop dangerously. However, it was easier than she expected to resist the urge to run to him. It wasn't the voice she knew off by heart, the voice she could pick out in any crowd. This voice was similar but different; it was a voice she'd only heard once before: the day everything had changed for a second time.

'Just leave, I do not want to talk to you! I don't want to see you!' she yelled tearfully, trying to ignore her thoughts. She would have loved to have stayed calm, like her father always managed to do, but she had far too much of her mother in her. She knew he wouldn't leave: he was never one to give up without a fight especially on her.

'Izzy, Baby, please,' Alec began and she knew without looking at him that he was reaching out to her; stretching a hand forward as though to give her comfort but she didn't want comfort from him when he was the one causing her pain.

Izzy spun around dangerously to glare at the man who had once held her heart, who had once been her everything. He looked exactly the same as always with a few small exceptions. Still heartbreakingly handsome, still with a mop of brown hair that fell over his eyes that he had to keep blowing out of them and she almost had too close hers to remember that this was not that same man.

'Don't "Izzy" me, don't "Baby" me!' she snapped causing Alec to flinch but she went on ranting, rising to her feet but not taking a step closer. 'You are not my husband, you may look like him but you are not. My husband is not a killer and he would never be known as a "Witch Twin!"'

'Iz-abella, please just hear me out!' Alec begged desperately, his angelic face contorted in pain from her words. 'I beg you.'

'No!' Isabella yelled, turning and stepping away from him, closer to the large white house she could see through the trees. 'I've told you once and I won't tell you again. Leave because you are not the man I married.'

She turned her back on him and began to walk back to her father and stepmother and that family and away from her "husband"

'I still love you, Izzy,' he said carefully after her, telling her in the tone he spoke in that that would never change.

Isabella took deep breath and stopped walking. Obviously hating him wasn't going to have the affect she desired.

'I know,' she whispered with her eyes closed before trying another tactic: her true feelings. 'I love you too' - all sounds behind her stopped, apparently out everything she could have said, that wasn't the thing he had been expecting - 'but your life is worth more to me.'

'What?' Alec asked, completely stunned and confused by her admittance of love for him. 'You're so bipolar. That doesn't matter' - he began making his way towards her, she didn't turn to face him but she also didn't run, he took that as a good sign - 'I'd rather die than live another day without you.'

Isabella squeezed her eyes shut and licked her lips, 'but you _must_ because I won't allow either of us to get hurt.'

She sensed his confusion and finally turned around to face him again, letting him see that pain on her features. He reached up and brushed a thumb over her cheek but she pulled away, shaking her head.

'We both know Aro won't let you leave without a fight, if at all. Would you really put it past him to kill you, Jane or me to stop you from leaving his guard?' she paused and put her last pleading remark out. 'What would you want me to do?'

'That's completely different,' Alec replied cringing slightly just at the thought of his beautiful, sweet, caring Izzy in the Volturi though they both knew there was no difference.

'No, it's not,' Isabella sighed and wrapped her small hands around some of the fabric of his clothing, like she used to when she was imploring him to do something and pulled herself closer. She was so close to Alec that he was fighting the instinct to kiss her but he knew now may not be the time. 'Go back to the man you were, the one that I don't care for, because I know that man can survive the Volturi -'

She had more but he cut her off.

'I'm not leaving you again,' he told her leaning even closer to her and slipping his arms around her waist, feeling the muscles there relax before she tensed again and he thought she was going to pull away. 'I don't want to and I can't.'

Isabella looked away from him and tried to steady her breathing. He was slowly becoming more like the boy she married, loved, adored and missed with all her heart but, as happy as she was to see him after so long, he was just securing his own death. She knew what she was asking was hard, it was killing her to keep insisting that he leave her, but she knew it had to be done.

'_Stop _it,' she told him harshly and he knew exactly what she wanted him to stop - stop becoming her husband.

She was surprised neither Emmett, Jasper or Edward had come out or even Rosalie with their protectiveness but either they felt she had to do this or her father was making them stay away.

'I don't want to, Izzy,' he told her and she stared up at him with a tearful expression. She understood it was all a mask but what Alec knew she didn't know was how much it pained him to be in the Volturi, how much he hated the person he had to become, it took her to make him break it and he didn't want to go back to that Volturi version of himself. So he tried to reason with her. 'You do realise, of course, that if I do go back to the Volturi, Aro's just going to read this all in my mind, right? We'll both be in danger if I do.'

'And if you stay, we'll both be in danger as well,' she replied and Alec cursed the fact that his wife was so bloody stubborn.

'Well then,' he twisted her words back to fit his own wanted, 'I'd rather stay with you.' - he then grinned a cheeky grin that Isabella loved and added, 'I can keep an eye on you that way.'

'I don't need watching, I can take care of myself!' she snapped in return, narrowing her eyes at him, but shaking her head and he sighed heavily as she got herself back on track. 'Together, we'd be in more danger than ever.'

He wasn't sure how she worked that.

'Why?' he asked curiously. 'I can keep the guard away easily and you won't allow Demetri to track us anyway.'

His words side-tracked her again and she cocked her head to the side, curiously. 'how do you know that?'

'I've been talking to your father,' he admitted honestly, 'and if you remember I did see you protecting Sophie in Volterra.'

While she was out here hiding away in her book and trying to escape him, he had been sat inside talking to Carlisle, who had told him how much Isabella had apparently missed him and a few facts about her. Isabella blanched at him and glared in the direction of the large white house towards her father, wondering what he had told Alec and why. His voice popped up in her head whispering that all he wants is her happiness.

Still she almost shrieked her reply, 'What! When?'

'Just now,' once again Alec felt it was best to be honest with her though he was hoping he wouldn't get the father she idolised and adored into trouble with her. He then felt the need to be a bit snarky, 'It's nice to know you've told him about me.'

Guilt washed over Isabella at how little she had told people of Alec but whipped her head around to glare at him instead, choosing anger over any other emotion she could.

'Did you _ever_ think that maybe it was too painful for me?' she snapped angrily, pushing him all from her since he still had her tightly against him. 'That talking about you was like someone was stabbing me in the gut or squeezing my heart? That your name would simply make me want to cry? With that, how on earth do you expect me to talk about our life together, something we lost?'

Knowing she was about to walk away from him again, he grabbed her wrist but she pulled free, backing away, and he felt his heart break slightly both by what she had just admitted to him and because she was pulling away from him again.

She spoke again, 'this is not the time, Alec. Go back to the Volturi and don't come back - it's the safest option.'

'But -' he opened his mouth to try and reason with her, to make her see sense before she entered that house where she could get her brothers to keep him away from her - he would never use his gift on her family.

'Go,' Isabella whispered and he could tell it was killing her to say it, 'and don't come back.'

She turned and ran before he could say anything else. Sobs built up in her throat and she kept running trying to be out of his hearing distance before she lost it completely. She burst through the door to the house, glad that Eliza wasn't there - Edward, Sophie and their daughter would be back at the cottage - but the rest of the family was, sitting in the living room. She ran past them without glancing over and sprinted up the stairs. She heard all of them calling after her but she didn't answer, flinging herself onto her bed and letting the sobs finally break free.


	58. Hurt and Comfort

Chapter 55 – Hurt and Comfort

"**Hurt me with the truth but never comfort me with a lie."– Unknown**

'Isabella!' her stepmother's voice echoed from the door and she realised that she and her father had followed her up. 'Sweetheart, what's wrong?'

A hand rubbed her back while another stroked her hair and she knew her father had come and perched on the bed beside her but she could barely feel his comforting movements as he tried to calm her down without words.

It seemed like hours before the sobs finally subsided and she was able to breath at her normal pace. She knew better than to look at her parents apologetically and settled from just pushing herself up to sit against the headboard, or more slump against it. Her parents both moved to sit either side of her and a soft smile crossed her lips as her father playfully waved her childhood doll in front of her face that he had kept all these years. It was meant to make her laugh and it very nearly did. She reached for doll and hugged it to her chest. Carlisle resisted the urge to chuckle at the stern look Esme gave him, he hadn't thought she would actually take it but she had always wanted it when she was younger so he'd thought he'd tease her slightly to try and get a smile.

'Isa, honey?' he asked as she took Esme hand and rested her head on his shoulder, linking her other harm through his, his arm rested on her knee. He knew it was to do with Alec and he began to wonder if he did the right thing keeping her overprotective siblings from going out after her. She didn't answer or make any move to show she was even going to. 'Isa, I can't do anything if you don't talk to us.'

'I missed him worse than ever,' she sobbed and he squeezed her knee comfortingly. He knew it sounded bad but he was glad he could do this, glad she was upset over a boy because he thought it was something of his daughter growing up that he had missed and failed his job in. 'I know you don't care for him, either of you, but Alec Volturi is not the man I married ... but when I was talking to him right now he was.'

Carlisle and Esme shared a saddened look over her head as she let another small sob out. Esme wrapped an arm around her waist and squeezed her gently.

'Alec Carmichael and Alec Volturi are completely different people,' she told them as though they hadn't already understood this bit of information about him, 'but it's like he can just change between them.

'Half of me is glad, my husband, who I love more than anything apart from my children, is still alive in some form and still himself but he's not. For the last 300 years, he's been a soulless monster, someone to be feared…

'Don't you remember the Carmichael family, Papa?'

Carlisle cast his mind back to his murky human life and managed to draw them memory of a brown haired and blue eyes yelling at Isabella and a woman who he could tell he had been friends with. He pulled a face slightly as he remembered that he had never understood why his friend had married that man.

'I'm not disagreeing,' Isabella took his face to mean that he didn't like the family and that he was thinking of Gavin, 'but Alec was never like him, neither was Jane, they were both like Hayley' _- Hayley _the name clicked in his head - 'and now he can just change into Gavin, that isn't him! I know Alec and I know that it's just a defence mechanism to survive the Volturi but he hated Gavin, told him to go off and die at one point. He wouldn't want to be like him - ever.'

'Has some faith, sweetheart,' Esme said, having no idea how to comfort her step-daughter and it seemed Carlisle was at a complete loss at well, 'everything will work it's self out.'

'Faith?' Isabella question scathingly. 'I gave up on faith a long time ago and how can you be so sure? I'm head over heels in love with a guy that isn't fully himself anymore - how will that work its self out?' - her voice was steadily rising as she spoke and her father squeezed her knee again. 'If he becomes the man I love, then he won't want to be in the Volturi -'

'But I thought that was a good thing?' Esme asked, now feeling thoroughly confused - what did Isabella want from Alec?

'Aro would never let Alec go,' Carlisle explained, 'he's too important to the guard. He'd probably kill him or Isa.'

'Exactly, but I _hate_ Alec Volturi, hate him with passion.'

Unknowing of what to do to comfort her, they both just settled with drawing circles on her limbs or rubbing her arms comfortingly. She snuggled in between them and wished for sleep she knew was completely impossible.


	59. Part 3 - Returning Suprises

Part 3 – Returning Surprises 


	60. Hurt Enough that You Have to

Chapter 56 – Hurt Enough that you Have to

"**You change for two reasons: either you learn enough that you want to or you've been hurt enough that you have to."– Unknown**

'Papa,' Isabella's soft voice whispered and echoed around the study and Carlisle sighed. She only came in here for a few reasons: she was feeling insecure and needed him or she wanted something.

'What is it, Isa darling?' he asked looking up from the paperwork spread across his desk to see her leaning against the doorway and twisting her little finger with her other hand as she always did she was nervous. She was biting the side of her lip and her eyes jumped everywhere but his face. It was both reasons, he was sure.

She sat down in the chair opposite him and curled her legs beneath her, licking her lips as she tried to phrase what she wanted to say. She knew exactly what she wanted but she didn't want to blurt it out. She no longer felt happy and safe in Forks. She saw Alec everywhere she went, even places she had never even seen him at before: walking down the street, sitting in library or in the empty seat in her class at school, in shops - it was like he was haunting her, torturing her because she made him leave despite their love.

Carlisle sat opposite her watching her struggle and sighed heavily: she still seemed to hold back with him and he hated it. When they were human she would tell him anything, not thinking about how she phrased it, not because she was young but because she trusted him a lot more back then - he'd done nothing to shake that trust. He was certain, though he knew she loved him and trusted him more than she had three years ago (he could hardly believe she had been back with him so long) that she still thought he was going to disappear at times.

'My darling Isa, come here,' he gestured for her to come towards him and lead her so she stood in front of him, leaning with his desk behind her. He took her hands. 'Tell me what you're thinking.'

She answered honestly because his eyes were burning into hers with his fatherly gaze, 'I was thinking how this town is haunted.'

'Haunted?' he asked for a further explanation. 'By what?'

'Alec.'

He sighed again, knowing what she meant as soon as his name left her lips, and rubbed his thumbs over the back of her hands, squeezing gently.

'You want to leave?' he didn't make it clear what leave he meant - leave the family and the town or just the town - because honestly he wasn't sure which he meant anyway.

She saw that in his eyes, his uncertainty. He may hate how she held back with him but he had to admit he was just as untrusting of her abilities to stay when he knew how much of a flight risk she was. She went her knees so she was kneeling in front of him.

'Yes,' she answered, 'but I don't want to leave the family, just the town, but Rosalie won't want to move again, Sophie won't want to leave Charlie, and Eliza won't want to leave Jacob -'

'Honey,' he took her face in his hands, 'can you survive here a moment longer without it hurting even the slightest bit?'

She stared up at him for a while and then shook her head to which he nodded in return to, 'okay, then we'll move.'

'But -!'

'We have moved a million times for the others in the family,' he told her, letting go of her face, 'and there's always something someone doesn't want to leave behind but we always do it because we are a _family _and we stay together, we protect each other. The other's will understand. It'll be time to move on soon anyway.

'But let me get one thing through that head of yours, I am not letting you go again, do you understand me?'

She nodded, 'yes, Papa.'

He nodded as well though he knew, next time something was making her want to run, she would have forgotten this information.

'Are you sure everyone won't mind moving just for me?' she asked, vulnerable once again - it broke his heart to see his strong daughter like that.

'They won't mind.'

'So where are we going?' she asked playfully with a smile.

'I don't know yet.'

A few hours later, when everyone was home and hunted, the ever growing family sat around the dining table in the same positions they had when Edward gave similar news.

'We're leaving Forks,' Carlisle said bluntly.

'We've moved so many times for the rest of us,' Esme spoke up as a few members opened their mouths and Isabella realised her father had spoken to her before calling everyone for a family meeting, 'sometimes for the strangest reasons, so now we're going to move for Izzy. We can't stay here much longer anyway.'

Everyone's gazes apart from Carlisle's and Esme's moved to Isabella and Eliza clambered into her lap.

'Why do you want us to move?' she asked sweetly asking the question on everyone's mind. 'Don't you like it here?'

'Of course, I do, honey but … bad memories,' Isabella answered cryptically for she didn't want to have to explain to Eliza everything, though her mind could probably handle it, but Rosalie softened seeming to understand.

'So where are we going?' Emmett asked turning the centre of the conversation back to Isabella's father and Isabella's mouth dropped at how open everyone was to the idea. Across the table, Esme smiled at her motherly, Isabella returned it before turning to look at her father as well wondering whether he had figured that out yet.

'Concord, New Hampshire,' he said receiving a confused look from some wondering where that was. 'It's new England.'

'Why?' Rosalie asked.

'It's somewhere we haven't been,' he smiled at her. 'Now we need to work everything out.'

'Izzy can stay our daughter,' Esme smiled, 'and Eliza, Edwards and Sophie's of course.'

She moved and grabbed some paper as they worked out the story of their family this time. It has harder to track them, if somebody wanted to, if they changed the structure of the family as well as their names.

'Anyone have any name suggestions,' Carlisle asked. 'I know it was nice using our real names this time but…'

Everyone looked disgruntled about having to change their names and Isabella sighed, feeling bad.

'Isalena Marie?' she suggested. 'That way you could just keep calling me Izzy or, Papa, Isa.'

'Thank you,' he whispered quietly so it was only audible to her and Esme and she smiled apologetically up at him. 'Es, write that down would you?'

Esme scribbled it down and he raised an eyebrow at her, hoping to keep the ball rolling, 'Esra Diane.'

'Pretty,' Eliza smiled and Esme smiled her usual loving smile over at her.

In the end it end up as Carlisle changing his name to Chris Eric, Emmett to Ethan Luke, Rosalie chose Rosina Odette, Alice changed to Alisha Rebecca, Jasper who changed his name completely to Oscar Samuel, Edward who also went a complete different way to Alexander Aiden, Sophie changed her name to something that almost rhymed with it Andrea Daphne while Eliza chose her name to be Lily Renee and all that was actually the easy part. The family spent the best part of two hours deciding on what age and the structure of the family they were going to use - once that was done they did surnames.

By the end it was decided that as usual Rosalie and Jasper were twins but this time Carlisle and Esme's biological children since the blond hair allowed them to pass as that and they were starting at the age of 16. Isabella was their youngest daughter at 14. Edward was Esme younger brother who was married to Sophie and had Eliza - their ages were difficult and the family had no idea if they could really pass for that age without raising for suspicion. Alice and Emmett were Sophie's half siblings which would hopefully cause less talk for people than adoptive brother and sisters. Emmett was starting the same age as Rosalie and Jasper and Alice one year below him. Isabella would be the youngest of the whole family as she truthfully was.

Isabella, Jasper, Carlisle, Esme and Rosalie took on the surname Whitlock because they hadn't used Jasper's surname in a while. Eliza, Edward and Sophie took on Mason while Alice and Emmett used Brandon because if anyone wanted to, they could never trace the family easily through that unless they knew about Alice's past. They went to high measures to keep the present life a secret from the next one that began. Sophie was going to go to J. Jenks to get the documents because there was no way she was going to let Jasper intimidate the man any longer before she and Edward went to tell Jacob and Charlie.

'Guys,' Isabella said quietly as her siblings rose to go do their jobs. 'Thank you.'

The smiled at her and, because they were on her side of the table, Emmett ruffled her hair as he went past, Rosalie kissed her crown and Alice her cheek, Eliza hugged her tightly before scrambling of her. Esme took her head across the table and squeezed it gently.

'Are you now going to admit we love you and you belong with us?' her father asked heavily and she turned to look at him her eyes wide.

She had no idea where he got that from but the thought had been lurking in her mind since she joined the family, wondering if it was an act, wondering if they really wanted her, wondering if they were going to ask her to leave if she slipped up, wondering, wondering, wondering. It was a niggling thing in the back of her mind constantly that she had been pushing back and tried to make sure the others didn't notice. To have her father pick up on it, made her realise that either he was very good at reading her, better than she thought, or she hadn't been hiding it as well as she thought.

'Yes, Papa,' he smiled at her but the tone was the same as before, agreeing because she couldn't say no for it would go on forever, causing his smile to have a sad air to it.


	61. It's Okay

Chapter 57 – It's Okay

"**It's okay to not be okay."– Carrie Hope Fletcher (ItsWayPastMyBedtime)**

They had been here a year and Isabella felt vaguely happy especially since the rest of the family had also settled well. They all liked this new place and, though it didn't have the weather perfection (for vampires anyway) that Forks did, they managed to blend in and no one questioned them too much.

They were completely settled now and, though Alec was ever present in her mind, it didn't hurt quite as much. She had learnt a lot since she was with her father mainly that trying to take on something that was too heavy wasn't worth it. It didn't make her a failure if she asked her siblings or parents for help and it was okay if she wasn't okay all the time because they were there to help her and they wanted to - she wasn't a burden, it didn't mean she was weak and not independent, she wasn't making a scene, creating drama, they wanted to be there for her and help her through things. It was better to share it.

Alice was dragging her out shopping today, despite her dislike for it. However Alice loved it and she could put up with being dragged round shops for hours on end if it meant making her happy. Rosalie and Sophie were coming as well so Alice had Rosalie to go all out with and Isabella and Sophie could just hang around and give the occasional opinion while discussing books or something of equal importance. Today was no different.

It was a relief to enter her house and find Jasper sat on the sofa with a book, she plonked herself down next to him as Rosalie went upstairs to put her purchases away.

"What are you reading?" she asked nudging him with her foot and his gaze slowly rose to meet her. He didn't answer instead just flicked the book around so she could read the title - another history book. "Why do you keep reading them? You know it only annoys you because of all the mistakes."

"Because… it's still a little interesting," Jasper scrambled for an awesome, "and though it does irritate me, it's amusing some of the time. Besides, it's not bad writing."

She smiled over at her brother.

"Okay."

He scowled at her reply but she just beamed at him, reaching for her own book - they were scattered all over the house - from the glass table in front of them.

"How was shopping?"

She glared at him over the top of the book as she opened it and he chuckled gently. They then feel into a comfortable silence - it was what she loved about Jazz: he didn't feel the need to fill every second with conversation like his wife did.

They stayed like that until Esme came home from teaching her art class and though she didn't need it Isabella assisted her with bring everything inside and then went and sat with her out in the garden, moving at human pace as they watered the garden and chattered between them.

This was generally how Isabella's day went in this town. She'd lounge around, or go to school, for the day then when Esme got home spend some time with her out in the garden, if Emmett came over she'd play a game with him on the TV though usually he and Rosalie went out, and then when her father came home from the hospital and she'd let him have some time with Esme before she spent some time with him. It was simple, easy and repetitive but she found she liked this way of living. It was far better than their life in Forks where she was scared she'd lose her new found family to one of the constants threats that had hung over their lives. No, she much preferred this way. She'd had enough stress for a life time, all the lifetimes she'd had or would have.

**I feel the standard of this has sufficiently dropped recently sorry :/ And this is a really short filler chapter. I really hope I'm not letting you down so near to the end of the story.**


	62. Love and Affection

Chapter 58 – Love and Affection

"**I like getting love and affection … and I like giving affection in return."– Unknown**

'Mumma?' a little voice called out to Isabella and Esme who were sitting in the garden together. The voice drifted over them at the same time the wind blew the scent of two vampires toward them and they both jumped to their feet.

Standing a bit away, at the tree line, was two children - a boy and a girl - who couldn't even be in their teens yet. They were holding hands and looking out fearfully but also hopefully. Esme gasped in shock at them straight away and turned toward her step daughter who had frozen.

The girl who had spoken was blond, pale blond, with large golden eyes and high cheekbones, her skin vampire pale. The curls where tight and were done up in two pig-tails, making the girl look younger, especially with the white hairband she had on as well to match her white cotton dress. Her lips were full, though her teeth were biting into the skin there, and her eyebrows perfectly arched. She was slender and not muscular in the slightest, looking like she could be blown over by a strong wind.

The boys hair was brown and wavy, his eyes the same shape as the girls. His eyebrows straighter and his lips less full. The wavy hair flopped over his eyes in a way that was familiar to Isabella and she resisted the urge to laugh as he blew it out of his face just like his father had and she wondered why he didn't just get it cut.

Isabella knew exactly who these two children were, had known since the moment she had seen them and Esme, well, the appearances told her enough. Isabella's children: the product of her love, her pure love and devotion, to and with Alec,

'Do you remember us?' the boy spoke now and Isabella's face broke out in a tearful smile as she nodded.

'Of course,' she said and their fearful faces broke into beaming smiles and they ran toward her.

She almost didn't have time to bend down so she could wrap her arms around them but, by moving at vampire speed, she just made it. Their joint weight however causing them to tumble backwards onto the group. Esme laughed lightly. They simple hugged each other for what seemed like an eternity each relishing in their families presence but eventually they pulled apart.

'Where's Papa?' Theresa's still innocent voice asked and Isabella glanced up at her own mother before taking a deep breath as Callen spoke.

'Yeah, Mumma, where's Papa?' he questioned, his voice still sounding so young.

'And Auntie Jane?' Theresa added on before Isabella could open her mouth. 'Are they alive? Are they here?'

Isabella rocked on her heels, for she was now balancing on the balls of her feet with her two twins standing in front of her, but she was saved from answering as her father strode from the house.

'Isa?' he asked curiously, eyeing the children at her feet with shock. 'What's going on?'

Theresa and Callen turned from their mother toward the new comer and the woman that had been there the whole time. They only need to take one look at him to know exactly who he was.

'Papa, these are my children, Theresa and Callen,' Isabella told her father carefully, standing up and resting her hands on their shoulders. 'Tess, Cal, this is my father and step-mother.'

Though they already knew it, all four of them gapped and Isabella laughed, glad they were sufficiently distracted for a while, while she tried to figure out what to tell them about Jane and Alec. Eventually Theresa gathered her wits.

'It's nice to meet you, Grandpa, Grandma,' Carlisle and Esme seemed frozen at the little girls words but even move surprised when one of the twins wrapped their arms around them. Theresa hugged her grandfather while Callen his step-grandmother. Isabella meet her father's gaze of Theresa's head and grinned brightly at him, though he could see a sparkle of worry in her eyes.

He raised his eyebrows but she shook her head slightly.

'Theresa, Callen, come here,' she smiled as Theresa wrinkled her nose and noted that she had grown to hate it just as she had predicted. 'I'm sorry, sweetie; Tess, come here.'

She giggled and after hugging Esme, skipped to her mother's side pulling her younger brother by a few minutes along with her. Isabella crouched down again and took one hand of each of her twins.

'Okay, yes, your aunt and father are alive,' she said slowly, choosing her words as carefully as she could but she frowned as her children's faces burst into wider smile, she felt so self-conscious as she felt her parents gaze on them, 'but' - they're faces fell - 'your father and I aren't together anymore -'

'Your divorced?' Callen interrupted trying to wrap his head around what she was saying.

'No, no, we're still married,' she assured them and sent her father a pleading look. 'Your father and aunt are simply …'

'Unattainable at the moment,' Carlisle's voice spoke up and Callen and Theresa span around to look at him. 'They're otherwise engaged in permanent activities that they can't get out off.'

They stared at him, seeming utterly confused by what he was saying.

'Alec and Jane aren't around at the moment and they won't be for a while,' Esme tried but before anything else could be said Emmett bounced loudly into the area and the introductions started all over again as the rest of the family gathered around or got called home. Isabella laughed when she realise that Alice was the same height as her twelve year old twins.

'Mumma?' Theresa asked as she sat down beside her mother at Edwards, her uncles she realised, piano. Isabella was simply staring at the keys seeming a million miles away and Theresa felt bad for interrupting but she had to ask. Her mother's head turned towards her and she smiled.

'Yes, sweetie?' Theresa smiled as her mother's voice washed over her; it was so familiar despite her having been taken from them so soon. It had only been a few days since they'd been reunited and two years since Isabella left Forks (Alec's haunting ground) behind.

'Do you miss Papa?' Isabella's heart felt like it stuttered, though it was already still, as Theresa mentioned her father, luckily Theresa didn't have much of her father in her: Isabella's blond hair, her eye shape and now colour, her prominent facial features where mainly Cullen originated though Isabella could easily pick Alec out of her but her sea blue eyes had been her most prominent connection to the Carmichael family which were now gone replaced with the golden eyes of vegetarian vampires. Callen, of course, was the complete opposite though he had Isabella's eyes shape. Isabella squeezed her eyes shut causing her daughter to rest a hand on her arm.

'Of course, I do,' she whispered, cupping her daughter's cheek. 'He's just unattainable at the moment.'

'Papa?' Isabella asked softly, her voice sounding childish, outside her father's office door. 'Are you busy?'

'Course not, Isa,' his worn voice called out. 'Come on in.'

She pushed the door open and felt instantly relaxed as she entered her father's office. It was so him that, like with him, she felt instantly safe and at home. He was sat at his mahogany desk, his head resting on the wood though he raised it as she entered.

'Papa!' she frowned wondering what was wrong with him, hurrying toward him. 'Are you okay?'

She moved to perch on the arm of his chair in concern but he just smiled softly at her.

'How badly do you want Alec and Jane safely out of the Volturi?' he used the word Volturi so Isabella knew the twins had to be out of the house somewhere, playing with their grandmother or one of their new aunts or uncles, perhaps even with their cousin.

'Why?' she asked, not really wanting to even consider Jane and Alec out of the Volturi without knowing it was an option that was plausible - she couldn't give herself that hope.

Her father wrapped an arm around her and pulled her onto his lap, hugging her tightly.

'Because, the twins are going to want their father back eventually,' he sighed. 'You need Alec, I know you do, you've been sadder since you saw him; neither he nor Jane like being there, he told me before he went to talk to you; and with a mate and children, we might be able to convince Aro to let them go. Aro loves happy endings, he may make them promise to help if he ever calls on them but it's better than nothing. It's up to you, my darling Isa, the final choice is always up to you. Aro is my friend, I'll come with you and I'll try talk him into it.'

'Why?' she asked again, hearing his words but not really being able to process them.

'Because your happiness is all that matters to me,' he said in a tone that told her she clearly should know this by know.

'Before Mum?' she asked teasingly, surprised that her happiness came before her step-mothers.

'Yes,' then he tapped her nose with his finger. 'Don't tell your mother.' - Isabella giggled and a smile graced her father's face - 'What do you want to do, Isa?'

**Well, that didn't turn out nearly as well as I hoped it would and it's really short but I can't seem to write anything better :(. **


	63. Life's Greatest Blessing

Chapter 59 – Life's Greatest Blessing

"**The Love of a Family is Life's Greatest Blessing."– Unknown**

Isabella walked past the lounge a few days later and saw her parents - her step-mother had her arms around her father's neck and was smiling sweetly up at him. Isabella smiled as well glad her father had the marriage he deserved. Then she heard him speak.

'This is my daughter and her happiness,' she heard him say and found herself too curious to walk away - they must have been too wrapped in each other to notice her presence. 'That's all that matters to me.'

She rolled her eyes fondly: he said that a lot but she had to admit it gave her a lot more confidence in herself that someone loved her that much and maybe that's why he did it.

'That girl got incredibly lucky with her father,' her step-mother smiled and Isabella flittered round the door.

'_So _lucky,' she agreed, surprising them both as she leant against the door and smiled at them, 'but, don't worry, I know it better than anything.'

'Are you ready to go, Isa?' her father asked, rolling his eyes which is something she now realised she got from him.

'Not really,' she sent him a smile, 'but I don't think I ever will be.'

Esme sighed and hugged her tightly, 'it will be fine, my dear.'

Fire minutes later they were saying goodbye to the family and leaving to board a plan to Italy. Isabella had decided to risk it, to risk it for Alec, her husband, and for Jane. If her father believe he could talk Aro into letting them go then she had complete faith in him - he wouldn't get her hopes up unless he was sure in himself, she was sure. It was just her, Theresa, Callen and him going to the Volturi. Edward and Alice wanted to but, knowing Aro wanted them, they talked them out of it. Sophie wanted nothing to do with the Volturi, Emmett, well, they didn't want a fight, Rosalie would do what Emmett did, Jasper didn't want to be stuck in a plane despite the fact he was stronger than he, and the majority of the family, gave him credit for and Esme didn't want to leave everyone alone in the house, especially Emmett and Jasper.

The flight seemed to take hours and when they finally got off it they made sure to cover up their skin so they didn't sparkle. Carlisle had rented a car ahead of time because he would never do an Alice and steal a car. The twins clambered in the back and once both Carlisle and Isabella was seated he sped off in the direction of Volterra, a journey he knew well.

'Mumma,' Callen's innocent voice piped up when his grandfather pointed out the city, 'is this going to work?'

Carlisle glanced at his daughter as she twisted in her seat to face her son, 'I hope so, honey.'

The car fell back into silence and Carlisle reached across to squeeze Isabella's hand reassuringly, she returned it with a weak smile. The city began to tower above them and they, unlike the last time, got in with easily and drove the majority of the way.

'Let's go in the civilized way, shall we?' her father asked, glancing back at the children.

Though the children were technically nearly as old as they were only twelve years younger in vampire life than Isabella, their young appearance made it impossible for the mother and grandfather to not want to protect them from things, even though they were probably mature enough to handle it mentally.

'That sounds like a very good idea,' she agreed fervently. 'I don't fancy another walk through those tunnels.'

Her father sent her an amused smile and she did her best to return it.

'Come on, you two,' he said as he parked the car. 'Clamber out.'

Once Isabella had fixed Theresa head scarf they skulked their way around till the reach the entrance that Isabella, Alice, Edward and Sophie had excited out of. Isabella shivered when they got to what had been Gianna's reception area and noted that there was a new receptionist there.

Carlisle spoke a few words to her and, once he told her a lie about why they were there and that he knew the way around the castle, she let them continue through - though if they really want to they could have just ran past her.

The twins ran ahead and, sharing a panicked glance, Carlisle and Isabella ran after them into a nicer looking room which she realised was where the Volturi spent most their time. Aro, Caius and Marcus were on their feet, staring at the children in front of them that had just tumbled into their midst.

Isabella froze in the doorway long enough to see that Alec was staring wide-eyed at them as well, as Esme did, knowing exactly who they were without being told and to see that Jane wasn't in the room. His eyes seemed to get even bigger as Isabella and Carlisle ran in after them.

'Sorry,' Isabella said to the three vampire kings, bringing Tess and Callen away but they had caught sight of Alec.

'Papa!' they yelled together and leaped at him. He obviously hadn't been expecting an attack from his children and, like Isabella had when they launched themselves at her, he fell over - she shook her head wondering if those kids had a problem with knocking people over.

'Tessa, Cal,' Alec grinned though he seemed confused over what was going on, Isabella could see he was ecstatic to see the children he never got to meet - the thought made her want to glare at the three kings. 'Iz-abella' - Isabella smiled sadly as she noticed he caught himself from using his nickname for her which had, over the years, turned into her main name - 'what's going on?'

'They wanted to see you,' Isabella half-lied, blinking like she used to when she was going to cry as a human at the sight of her husband and children together finally, 'and how do you know …'

He seemed to want to reach out to her but after their last meeting settled for keeping a hold of their kids who were still clinging to him.

'I might have visited once,' he shot her his cheeky grin that she loved before turning his attention to Theresa.

'I missed you, Papa,' she whispered into his neck and Isabella suddenly came aware of everyone else in the Volturi guard who was in the room watching in surprise and happiness for him though they all looked confused.

'You too, sweetie,' he promised her, pulling back from them so he could look at them and Isabella had to blink away the venom in her eyes, her father wrapped an arm around her, 'you've grown a lot. How old are you two?'

'Twelve, Papa,' Callen told him, smiling at him with his own smile.

'Twelve!' Alec exclaimed and the twins nodded. 'You're that old? Man!'

Everyone in the room laughed at his dramatic response and, at Isabella's giggled, he glanced up at her, their eyes locking for the first time but he broke it as he looked back at the twins.

I 'love you two so much, you know that?' he told them beaming. It was the first time he had ever been able to tell them that but somehow he was sure they knew it anyway. He then glanced back up at his wife, leaning against her father. 'You too, babe.'

'I/We know,' was the reply he got from all three people and he chuckled.

At that moment, Jane walked in the room and everyone turned to look at her, 'what?'

'Hi, Janey,' Isabella spoke like she used to her sister-in-law instead of the harsh tone she had used recently. The familiar tone took Jane by surprise and then she mouthed "Janey" in confusion.

'Izzy!' she exclaimed and then caught sight of the kids, 'Theresa, Callen!' - Jane moved to hug Isabella but then stopped - 'Isabella, we're good right?'

'Of course,' she smiled. Jane moved towards her again but Alec's voice made her turn to look at him.

'What's going on?' he asked, and Isabella turned to look at him as well, with his eyebrows pulled down in confusion he looked so cute and young. Carlisle removed his arm and turned away toward Aro, obviously thinking Isabella was going to do something he didn't really want to see.

'I was wrong,' was all she said due to the prying ears but Alec grinned and stood for the kids.

Before she was sure what happened she was whisked into the air and she laughed at the sudden movement. She felt her feet touch the ground and stared up into her husband's eyes. They weren't the same blue that she loved, the sea colour that enchanted her but the man was still her Alec. She smiled at him before putting her arms around his neck and pulling herself up to kiss him. He hesitated for a second as though wondering what had got into her but the responded. Theresa and Callen smiled at each other before looking at their grandfather who had his back turned, however, they could tell his nose was wrinkled and they laughed. The musical laughter broke Alec and Isabella from the kiss and they turned to see what was so funny.

'Papa!' Isabella laughed lightly but he didn't turn around. However Aro took pity on him.

'Carlisle, dear friend, what brings this spontaneous visit that has resulted in this touching scene?' Aro asked gesturing to where Alec and Isabella were now moving to sit with their twins and Jane.

'Aro, I'm sure you remember my daughter, Isabella,' he chuckled.

'Yes, it was a delight to meet her,' Aro beamed at him.

'She can be a delight, yet,' Carlisle smiled over at his daughter who didn't seem to hear his comment as she brushed her wavy blond hair out of her eyes and laughed with Theresa, leaning as she did so against Alec, whose arm rested lightly around her, resting her head on her shoulder, ' and as you've probably guessed these are her and Alec's children.'

'I did gather, yes. She seems a remarkable young woman,' Aro said. 'Carlisle, you much be so proud to be her father.'

'Extraordinarily,' Carlisle once again looked over at his daughter pleased to see her so happy and this time she seemed to sense his gaze and turned to look at him, sending him the most blazing smile he had ever seen from her. He shook his head to get his thoughts on track, 'but that's not why we're here.'

He took another glance over to her again to see that her expression had become slightly worried.

'I'm here to beg you, Aro,' Carlisle said urgently stepping toward him and lowering his voice causing Aro's eyebrows to raise at his words for he had never begged Aro for anything, 'to let Alec and Jane leave,' - Aro went to open his mouth - 'let them reconnect with their family. Theresa and Callen haven't seen their parents or aunt since they were babies - in fact, they're never met their father and aunt - _they _need this.'

Apparently his words weren't quite enough as the little family on the floor had turned to look at them, Alec and Jane looked so surprised that he was trying to get them out.

'You have yet to discuss this with young Alec and Jane though, Carlisle, are you positive this is what they want?' Aro asked.

'Master, this is my family, this is with whom we belong,' Alec wrapped a tighter arm around Isabella. 'I won't be separated from them again.'

'I wished to leave to, Master,' Jane agreed, smiling from where she was plaiting Theresa's hair offhandedly.

'Aro, Marcus, Caius,' Carlisle got their attention back to him, 'surely you understand the importance of family, friends. You wouldn't want to separate mates would you or parents and children… I know myself that there is no greater pain than being separated from your child.'

Isabella sighed and moved away from Alec and Jane and her twins towards her father, hugging him tightly round the waist, actually causing Marcus to smile softly as he read the bond between the two of them. He reached out his hand to show Aro this connection but not just this one, the connection between the whole little family: the amount of pure, honest love between Alec and Isabella; the parental love between Isabella and her father (the strongest of all family bonds he'd ever seen), between Isabella and the twins and between Alec and the twins; the sisterly love between Jane and Isabella; and even a fondness that Carlisle held for the elder Carmichael twins simply because of the smile they put on his daughters face. He showed Aro all of this and his thoughts on the matter.

'Leave,' Aro commanded softly when he released Marcus' hand. 'Go now. Be happy' - he focused mainly on Alec and Jane now - 'but if I should ever call on you …'

'We'll be here, Master,' Jane smiled because she knew this was the best deal they'd get, more than Alec had thought would happen.

'Happy endings are so rare,' Aro sighed and he gestured them out and Carlisle copied the movement, giving the implication that they better leave before they changed their minds.

'Let's go,' Alec grinned, pulling Theresa up off the floor. 'Thank you, Marcus, Aro, Caius.'

They made a hasty retreat and Isabella was surprised to note that Alec and Jane didn't want to say goodbye to anyone as they left - maybe, she thought, they really did hate it there. They walked in silence for a while, Theresa on her father's shoulders, Callen holding Isabella's hand, who walked beside them, and Jane with Carlisle walking silently.

As they got in the car, Alec turned to Carlisle.

'It's nice to see you again, sir,' he smiled.

'Grandpa's name's Carlisle, Papa,' Theresa grinned from where she was sat in the car, putting her seatbelt on.

'I know, honey,' Alec nodded but he wasn't going to call his father-in-law that without permission. He didn't know much about the man really except for the quick conversation he'd had with him two years ago and what Isabella could remember when they were human.

'Good,' Carlisle nodded. 'Use it.'

'Yes, sir,' Alec replied and the moved his head, mouthing "damn" as Isabella and Jane laughed. 'We'll be one minute, Iz,' - Isabella raised her eyebrow as he turned to her father - 'I just wanna …'

He jolted his head to the left.

The two men went far enough that they were out of hearing range of the rest of the family but so they could still see them with ease.

'What is it, Alec?' he asked in a tone that suggested he already knew what he was going to say.

'Thank you,' Alec replied rubbing the back of his neck as Carlisle nodded knowingly.

'You are quite welcome.'

'Why did you do it?' Alec asked curiously. 'You don't like us, I know you don't and I'm really sorry for that for obvious reasons -'

'I don't dislike you,' Carlisle cut him off, 'I dislike your mask. You're alright' - Alec grinned as a human memory surfaced in his mind of Isabella saying something about masks and liking the person beneath it - 'and as I've told Isa countless times' (they paused as Isabella's charming laugh echoed around them, loud enough to be heard) 'you see that smile on her face,' - her father gestured with his chin to her and Alec nodded, that was a smile he'd only seen a few times - 'you'll find that getting that, that's enough of a reason to do anything. If you don't understand already, you will eventually.'

His gazed moved to the little blonde girl and it was clear what he meant,


	64. Epilogue: A True Love Story Never Ends

Chapter 60 – Epilogue: A True Love Story Never Ends

"**A True Love Story Never Ends."– Unknown**

'Isabella Marissa Cullen!' her mother's voice called cheerfully up the stairs and Isabella's eyes snapped open from where she was lying in the sun streaming through her old fashioned bay-window that she had covered in blankets and cushions, though comfort didn't matter to her, and was surrounding by books - that was her favourite spot in the house.

'Come on, Izzy,' Jane had appeared in her doorway and wide beaming smile on her angelic face. 'It's time to get ready.'

Isabella looked up at her and smile slipping onto her face as well.

'Ready for what?' she asked serenely to Jane's irritation and saw her sister-in-law's eyes narrow into a glare.

"Not funny, put that book down and come with me, Rosalie's room is all decked out."

Isabella followed her sister-in-law into her sister's room happily and through it to her bathroom only to see the place covered in products. Her jaw loosened ever so slightly wondering what her family was planning on doing to her. Alice danced over and pulled her into the seat.

"Don't look so terrified," Esme laughed. "They won't use even a quarter of the stuff."

"Because that's ever so comforting, mum," Isabella turned to smile at her step-mother.

She shut her eyes as her sisters started doing her hair, makeup and whatever they felt needed to be. Isabella was suddenly very glad that she was a vampire because if she was human she would have been sat in the chair for so much longer. Theresa was there as well chatting happily away to her as Esme and Sophie attended to her.

Eventually though they were done and her dress was put on and Isabella was left alone to deal with the panic that had been slowly mounting inside her as they did her makeup - she was so glad Jasper was probably out of the house right now so he couldn't feel the crazy emotions colliding inside her.

Isabella wasn't sure why she was so nervous; she had done this before, with the same guy. She sighed, brushing her white dress in the mirror glad that Alice, Rosalie, Esme, Sophie Jane and Theresa had given her a little while alone while they got dressed up. Looking at herself, she was surprised as she was at her last wedding, it was her standing reflected in the glass; her blonde wavy hair was in curls as tight as Theresa and floating around her face which was dusted lightly with makeup courtesy of Alice. Sitting on it was a small alloy tiara with round pearls and rhinestone's - it had belonged to her step-mother and she touched it gently

Her hand dropped to fiddle with her necklace as she bit her lip. It was subtle and dainty accessory with a chain of crystal rhinestones and centre marquise cut slate blue rhinestone, sticking with their colour them. The necklace matched the earrings perfectly. It matched her bracelet as well which had the crystal rhinestone chain and then a "X" of united with teardrop slate blue stones on either side. She moved her hand to her dressing table and into a little box which she hadn't opened in years: it held two items. The only two things she still had from her human life except her wedding rings. She fastened the Cullen coat of arms around her neck and the locket around her left wrist.

She then lowered her gaze to her dress, which she had to admit it was beautiful but it reminded her exactly of what she was doing: marrying Alec again and that was what exactly was terrifying her - they'd had so much bad luck and pain. She studied the dress to force her mind to focus on something else. It was a ball gown made from tulle, with a sweet heart neckline and cap sleeves. The dress was intricately designed with beadwork, applique flowers which flowed down, spreading out, on the court train. She loved it but the sight of it terrified her. She allowed her gaze to float back up again to her shoulders and studied the veil that dropped all the way down further than her dress since it was chapel length with had flowers on the lace edging to make it match the dress. It was one tier and made of tulle.

Though she couldn't see them for the dress, she knew her shoes with her heels and peeped toes which was decorated with lace and bow not on the crossing point above the toe. There last thing she had one was a two piece garter which Alice had slipped on before they left her to herself. One on was made of Satin while the other satin and organza, which had champagne (matching the slate blue and champagne colour theme) coloured bows with squares of rhinestone's in the centre.

The door creaked open and she turned now glad for the distraction to see her father standing smartly in the doorway.

"Hi," she breathed, a smile slipping onto her face.

"You look gorgeous," he smiled over at her before coming a wrapping her in a hug. "Now stop panicking. You have nothing to be worried about and _you know that_. Stop letting your mind make you think otherwise."

Alice danced into the room then with the bouquets piled high in her arms. Isabella's was a bouquet of roses, both of champagne and slate blue coloured with a few ivory roses. Each rose had a diamante centre and the stems were of a shimmering crystal style beads glittering amongst the flowers. The handle was fully wrapped in champagne ribbon with matching bow. Jane, Alice, Rosalie and Sophie had the same but they were smaller, only about seventeen roses in each. Eliza and Theresa had even smaller ones - seven flowers - there was a large champagne centre one and then alternating around the edge of it slate blue and ivory ones.

"Everything will be fine," Carlisle kissed her forehead. "I will meet you in entrance hall."

She nodded and smiled up at him just as Esme returned in a beautiful champagne A-line dress with a very slight train, an elegant crystal necklace with a drop pearl situated on her neck. She watched as her father's face lit up in a smile when he saw his wife and she found her anxiety drifting away.

The soft moment was broken as Eliza and Theresa came dancing in, in their knee length champagne dresses, followed by Rosalie and Sophie with Jane only a few steps behind them, dressed in strappy A-line knee length dress of slate blue. Jane danced up to her as Carlisle left.

"Are you ready to be my sister-in-law again?"

"Of course," Isabella beamed over at her - she loved Jane and used to tell her anything but how on earth could she tell her that she was scared to marry her own husband, Jane's brother?

It wasn't time to go yet so they sat down and chattered for a while. The wedding was being held in the large garden of the of their house so there was no worry about getting to the venue on time and Alice, with her impeccable time keeping, would never allow them to be late. Eventually though they made their way downstairs - Isabella could vaguely hear Alec's voice among the crowd of people outside - they didn't invite any humans except some of the wolves and Charlie so they could use their real names.

She was so happy she was finally getting given away by her own father, not her step-father, but part of her forgot a little bit as soon as her eyes locked with Alec's. A beaming smile lit up his face as she walked slowly toward him and, as cliché as it was, she began to wonder why she was so nervous. Yes there had been pain and heartbreak but they'd ended up right back where they had started. That had to count for something.

Her father passed her over with a soft, fatherly kiss to her cheek and before she knew it she and Alec were kissing, their marriage renewed and they could start again.

"I love you," she whispered quietly as always below even vampire hearing range staring up into his strangely coloured eyes - the mix between red and gold.

He kissed her again and quietly whispered it back against her lips.

"Forever"

She grinned at his cheesiness but that was what they had.

**YAYAYAYAYAYA – it's finished! Now to upload this monster, oh what fun! I hope you liked it – I absolutely love this story, I lost my liking for the story line of my other story of Carlisle and Bella being father and daughter, though I'm not sure I've done this story line justice.**

**This is 193 pages on word!**

**Please reviews, it makes me happy x**

**On a side note, I have a blog so if anyone wants to check that out it is - **** angel-book-life .weebly .com**** – so yeah, I'd love it if you check that out.**

**This is actually the end of my rather long authors note so yeah, bye x**


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